Posted on 02/15/2009 2:22:58 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
London, UK (AHN) - A 13-year-old boy has had a baby with his 16-year-old girlfriend, becoming one of Britain's youngest fathers and sparking renewed concerns about the rate of teenage pregnancies in the country.
Alfie Patten was only 12 when his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, 15, conceived the daughter, Maisie Roxanne, after unprotected sex.
Patten, who pledged to be a good father, was first photographed in Friday's edition of the tabloid Sun newspaper with Roxanne after her birth on Monday.
But he doesn't know about how they are going to support their child.
"I didn't think about how we would afford it. I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me 10 pounds ($14)," the teenager from Eastbourne told the tabloid.
Alfie, who is just 4 feet tall, added, "When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react. I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it."
Over the last 10 years, more than 40 other boys aged under 14-year-old have become fathers, according to a data from the U.K.'s Office for National Statistics.
The country has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Western Europe, based on the figures presented by the authorities.
"[It's] a very sad story which will have a huge impact on both the parents and the child. I'm very pleased that the families are being supportive, but this of course raises huge questions about sex education rather than relationship education in schools and also about the sexualization of our society," Nigel Waterson, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, told The Guardian.
The government data reflect that around 39,000 girls under 18-year-old became pregnant in 2006, while around 390 girls under age 14 became pregnant between 1998 and 2007.
The reports also shows that four teenagers aged 11 have fathered children in recent years.
Chantelle gave birth to Roxanne on Monday night after a five-hour labor at Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex in England, the Sun reported.
She told the paper, "I'm tired after the birth. I was nervous after going into labor but otherwise I was quite excited."
They BOTH look like they need adopting.
When people reject our God, they start living like animals.
Wouldn’t that be statutory rape in the US?
And, I’m always a bit disturbed that someone that young is responsible for a child. Poor baby. I would say that hopefully the grandparents will be doing the raising, but I don’t know what kind of parents they were either.
This can't be possible. Sex ed from kindergarten on up is designed to prevent this problem.
There must be some mistake.
They allow the kid to spend the night at his “girlfriend’s”. He keeps extra clothes there. Both sets of “parents” belong in prison.
As far as I could tell, it was only one boy per night---but still........
In that case, yes, you’re right. They are clearly not fit either. That poor baby hasn’t got a change.
Well, Duh. It saved both sets of parents babysitting dollars so they could go out and do what they wanted to do, rather than keep an eye on the pre-teen and the teenager. /sarcasm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2185622/posts
The poor child’s name (the infant, not the “father”) was Maise, according to this article.
As I said earlier, there is no way, IMHO, this wee lad fathered the child.
It would appear that many had “visited with” young Chantelle, and are therefore in the running for the coveted honour of being the dad.
Liberalism and absence of moral absolutes at its best.
Was Alfie the father? It is starting to appear he was not. Other, more physically mature teens are claiming to have also enjoyed unprotected sex with Miss Steadman around the time of conception. Alfie's parents don't want a paternity test because they're trying to milk this story in the press for every last pound.
Aren't these chavs wonderful!
What’s it all about, Alfie?
It took 12 posts to say that? Freepers are slippin’! LOL!
Or BOTH!
Don't waste your life on this crap.
After all, a mother has to maintain some standards!
let Maury get him on his show
That's a hard question. I bet the mother has already looked into welfare benefits.
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