12-year-old IDs sexual assault suspect to police - gave birth last week to a full-term baby girl

Associated Press ^ | May 28, 2003 | Associated Press Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

12-year-old IDs sexual assault suspect to police

05/28/2003

Associated Press

PALESTINE, Texas - A 12-year-old elementary school student who gave birth last week to a full-term baby girl has identified an Anderson County Jail inmate as the suspect in the possible sexual assault case, police said.

A DNA sample from the suspect is being compared with the baby's to determine if he is the father. Palestine Assistant Police Chief Mike Medders said the suspect, in jail on a parole violation, is in his 40s.

The girl gave birth last week, reportedly in the bathroom of a local residence, to a baby weighing 4 pounds and 11 ounces. Police continue to investigate why the girl's parents did not report the pregnancy or seek medical attention before she gave birth.

Police Det. Nick Webb said the girl and family members have said they didn't know the girl was pregnant. Webb said there are no charges pending against family members.

Because of the girl's age, the father of the child could be charged with aggravated sexual assault, a first degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, officials said.

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/052803dntexgirl.62fa2175.html

[MeekOneGOP]

Here is the story by the local paper, the Palestine Herald-Press:

Police have suspect in sexual assault case

5-27-03
By PAUL STONE
H-P Associate Editor
Palestine police have a suspect in custody in connection with a case involving a 12-year-old elementary school student who gave birth to a baby girl last week.

This morning Palestine Assistant Police Chief Mike Medders said a male suspect in his 40s is currently incarcerated at the Anderson County Jail on a parole violation.

The suspect, who was arrested Thursday on a blue warrant, however, has not been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

DNA samples from the suspect have been obtained and sent to a private laboratory in Dallas, according to Palestine Police Det. Nick Webb.

"We're awaiting DNA test results," Webb said this morning.

Results should be available in two to four weeks, he added.

Around 6 p.m. Wednesday, local police say they were dispatched to a residence on South Dorrance Street to assist Emergency Medical Services on a call.

Once there, authorities determined that a 12-year-old girl had given birth to a full-term baby girl inside the residence, reportedly in the toilet.

Both subjects were subsequently transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center.

This morning Webb said both the 12-year-old girl and newborn girl were doing fine, with no health complications.

On Friday, Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe told the Herald-Press he was "flabbergasted" that the 12-year-old mother apparently received no prenatal or other medical care prior to delivering the baby.

Under state law, Medders said that a criminal offense was committed regardless of the age of the baby's father.

The age of consent for sexual relations under Texas law is 17.

Sexual assault becomes aggravated sexual assault when the victim is under the age of 14.

Aggravated sexual assault of a child is a first-degree felony punishable by five-to-99 years or life in prison.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

[OXENinFLA]

My guess is the Mother of the 12yr old somehow knows the guy and that's why she hid the fact her daughter was preggo.

[r9etb]

My guess is the Mother of the 12yr old somehow knows the guy and that's why she hid the fact her daughter was preggo.

According to the article, "the girl and family members have said they didn't know the girl was pregnant."

Hmmmm. Well, if the 12-yo was hefty and didn't show much, I can just barely see the mom not knowing. But the girl would have known.

I think you're probably correct.

[FamilyMember99]

"Hmmmm. Well, if the 12-yo was hefty and didn't show much, I can just barely see the mom not knowing. But the girl would have known."

This is a hard one. Look at all of the adult women that state they did not know that they we pregnant. Based on that, I guess that I can see a 12 year old not knowing.

[Laura Earl]

"I can just barely see the mom not knowing. But the girl would have known."

A real mom should have picked up on it. At my advanced age of 43, if I so much as mention being queasy to my mother, she asks if I could be pregnant.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Well, if the 12-yo was hefty and didn't show much, I can just barely see the mom not knowing. But the girl would have known.

I can see a 12 year old girl being scared and not telling, but a mom knows when her daughter is preggers...I mean lets see the subtle evidence. Daughter menses,"Mom, can you go to the store for me and get some pads?" then the sudden cessation of "pad" purchases? The twelve year old obviously doesn't have a job. The obvious breast growth and walk (waddle), I mean gimme a break the body size of a 12 year old girl isn't like one of 18yrs of age.

Just how big of a town do these people live in?

[OXENinFLA]

Based on that, I guess that I can see a 12 year old not knowing.

Maybe,but I can't see why the 12yr old did mention anything to her parents that she had Sex or was Raped.

[Laura Earl]

Maybe,but I can't see why the 12yr old did mention anything to her parents that she had Sex or was Raped.

Where were you from 1992-2000? During that time we had crammed down our throats that parents didn't have to be parents, but instead it "takes a village". What a load of crap. Sadly though, it has had a detrimental effect on our society.

[Cacophonous]

castrate him

[sharktrager]

Given the weight of the baby, there may not have been much weight gain. It is possible for some women to gain almost nothing beyond what the baby and placenta weigh, depending on what is eating and the level of activity. There have been actresses who gained less than 20 pounds. Add in the possibility that the girl was heavy and experienced weight fluctuations, or may have been in a growth spurt, and suddenly it is easy to see how she could have gained the weight withput it drawing notice.

She may also not have had regular periods, so the lack of a need for pads could have gone completely unnoticed by her parents.

I doubt she didn't know, but it is possible that her parents didn't.

[ModelBreaker]

Police Det. Nick Webb said the girl and family members have said they didn't know the girl was pregnant.

This is so terribly sad. May God forgive the perp and the parents.

[r9etb]

I mean gimme a break the body size of a 12 year old girl isn't like one of 18yrs of age.

Not necessarily true -- I know some 12-yo girls whose bodies are taller and more "mature" than those of much older females. Or the girl could be rather heavy, which tends to hide a multitude of sins.

And of course, 12-yo girls are undergoing puberty, and therefore normally exhibit breast growth -- pregnancy has nothing to do with it.

Personally, I agree with the suspicion that the mother is covering up for sexual abuse at the hands of this jailed guy.

[TXBubba]

A twelve year old girl may not have regular periods. Also, there are many women who continue to have periods WHILE they are pregnant. Gotta get away from the basic pregnancy education and find out the real info.

[mabelkitty]

How about mother's ex or current boy-friend?

[El Gato]

Just how big of a town do these people live in? Palistine Texas, population 18,042 (90 Census), 17,598 (2000 Census) about 90 miles SE of Dallas.

[EagleMamaMT]

Maybe, maybe not. When I was a junior in high school, a girl that was in the senior class gave birth and no one could tell she was pregnant. I saw her in the hall at school the day before she gave birth and could not tell she was pregnant. She gave birth to a healthy, full-term baby boy. The girl, who was 18, was about 5'7" and slightly built, too. However, she did know she was pregnant. She just didn't tell anyone else.

The other day, I was up at my son's elementary school. The 5th grade classes (approximately 11 to 12 year old kids) came out on the playground while I was there. There were girls in those classes 5'5" inches and taller in height, not to mention pretty hefty in girth. I can see that some of them could carry off a hidden pregnancy, especially since they were a little potbellied anyway.

[LaineyDee]

I can see that some of them could carry off a hidden pregnancy, especially since they were a little potbellied anyway.

I moved from Dallas to a tiny E. TX town about 18 yrs. ago. It was truly a culture shock. I was school nurse at the combo K-12th grades school, for a year. Some of these people are very backwards and still let their daughters marry at 13 & 14yrs old..... usually to older men. I felt like I'd stepped into a time-warp....set in motion by the Beverly Hillbillies.

After questioning parents and school officials... I was educated in the fact that as long as the parents are willing to sign the marriage certificate.....they could marry. (and the guy avoids prosecution for statutory rape) Made my head spin!

[LaineyDee]

Oops.....hit the post before I finished. I was going to remark that these girls are usually pretty mature "physically" for their age group.. and typically chubby around the middle. First hand... I would have never guessed they were 13 & 14yrs old. Some of the 12 yr olds had me fooled as well.

[rickmichaels]

...in the possible sexual assault case...

Possible???

[Tamzee]

I'm rooting for the 99-year sentence myself...