According to newly released court documents from the United Kingdom, a 10-year-old girl allegedly became pregnant by a 14-year-old boy she met online. Although the girl, now 11, reportedly wanted to keep her baby, a judge determined it was in the best interest of the young mother to have an abortion.
The unnamed girl reportedly hoped to keep the baby after the alleged attack in May 2023. London High Court Judge Emma Arbuthnot said the pregnancy would be a detriment to the girl's health, but her family reportedly fears she may become pregnant again.
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The girl was allegedly assaulted multiple times by teenagers older than her.
The Independent reported court documents show the unnamed girl, known in court as AZ, was allegedly raped in May by a 14-year-old boy she met playing an online game. Documents also state another 14-year-old boy raped her in June. At the time of the hearing, AZ was reportedly 14 weeks six days pregnant, according to The Sun.
The girl was living with her family at the time of the alleged attack, but there were allegedly concerns about her care while living in the home, per the Independent.
It was up to the court to determine whether AZ should terminate her pregnancy.
According to The Sun, AZ was interviewed by a mental health professional. But documents said the consultant feared AZ "lacked competence" and appeared "very idealistic and unrealistic."
Her mother reportedly said the pregnancy made her daughter "feel special." In addition to mental health and maturity concerns, there apparently was fear about the physical toll a pregnancy would take on such a young body.
There is little information about pregnancy in such young females.
Medical professionals spoke in court of the risks of pregnancy to a person so young and relatively small, The Sun noted, and said studies only reported on pregnancies in females as young as 14.
"They considered that the risks would be at least as high and probably higher for a child as young as AZ. The doctor's descriptions of these physical risks are clear and compelling. The risks to AZ are significant," the judge said. "I was particularly struck by the evidence about the impact of the size of AZ's anatomy: whereas many adult women struggle with the pain of childbirth, a child of eleven is likely to have a much worse experience."
Arbuthnot reportedly had strong feelings about the case.
In her decision, the judge explained that one of AZ's most motivating reasons to give birth was allegedly so she would not have to return to school. She has reportedly not been in a classroom since February 2023.
"She lacked the intellectual development and capacity to process the complexity of the decisions that had to be made and her emotional investment in one outcome was clearly clouding her judgement," Arbuthnot said, per The Sun. "An important factor in AZ's decision-making was that the birth of a child would ensure she would not have to return to school."
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The family fears AZ might get pregnant again.
The Sun reported the judge granted an order for AZ to have an abortion, but the girl's mother reportedly said she was worried her daughter might get pregnant again. The court did not order any permanent birth control.
"For some reason the parents do not appear to be able to prevent this. The risks of another pregnancy are obvious but there is no application for a declaration that an implant should be inserted against AZ's will. Instead, it is hoped that AZ may well agree to this," the judge said.