13-year-old gives birth; stepfather arrested

In a shocking incident, the police on Thursday arrested the stepfather of a 13-year-old girl on charges of sexually abusing her and causing her pregnancy.

The class VIII girl developed complications after the delivery on Monday at the SAT hospital here. The incident came to notice after hospital authorities reported the matter to police as both girl and her mother refused to disclose the paternity of the child.

After investigation, the police arrested 46-year-old Shibu of Kundara in Kollam district who had been staying with the mother of the victim for the last eight years.

He had allegedly been repeatedly abusing the teenager for the last several months, police said.

He was arrested by police after registering a suo motu case as the victim’s parents did not file a complaint.

According to the police, the victim did not reveal her harrowing experience to anyone as her stepfather threatened to kill her along with her mother and brother.

On questioning by the police, the mother revealed that her second husband Shibu had caused her daughter’s pregnancy.

She said, the girl was first abused by Shibu when she had been away. Then he assaulted her several times even in her (mother’s) presence.

It was to protect Shibu neither she nor her daughter filed any petition against him, she told the police.