Rape victim was 9 years old when she got pregnant
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ST. ANTHONY, Idaho - A 10-year-old girl who gave birth to a baby girl after being raped actually became pregnant when she was only 9 years old, sources have confirmed.
The girl gave birth less than two weeks ago by Caesarean section at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Fremont County Sheriff Ralph C. Davis and other authorities said.
St. Anthony police began investigating on April 28 after medical personnel alerted police that a pregnant child had come in for treatment.
Guadalupe Gutierrez-Juarez, 37, of St. Anthony, was arrested the same day, police said. He later was charged with one count of rape and remains in jail with bail set at $250,000 pending a preliminary hearing May 13.
Dr. Barbara Nelson from Rosemark Women's Care in St. Anthony told KIDK-TV News she's never worked a case with a girl this young.
"Less than 10 percent of girls will start their periods before age 11," Nelson said. "We have a lot of data about teen pregnancy and not a lot about children, obviously the numbers are quite low."
In this case, the baby was reported to weigh about six pounds at birth and was full term.
The girl may have had a condition called precocious puberty, which means the gland controlling puberty activates early.
She was also a little overweight so that may have concealed the pregnancy. Both the girl and her baby daughter are in state custody.
As news of the girl's case spreads through the St. Anthony community, many people are coming forward to offer their support.
"I felt great sadness for the child and the family," said Dee Raush of the St. Anthony City Council. "I went around and I've talked to people in the community and their hearts just pour out to this girl and her family and (say they) would do anything."
The girl is reported to be in good physical health despite what she has been through.
And Dr. Nelson said a 10-year-old giving birth is far from a record.
The youngest girl on record to ever give birth was a 5-year-old in Peru in the 1930s. The little girl gave birth by C-Section and her parents actually raised the baby as her sibling.
The girl gave birth less than two weeks ago by Caesarean section at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Fremont County Sheriff Ralph C. Davis and other authorities said.
St. Anthony police began investigating on April 28 after medical personnel alerted police that a pregnant child had come in for treatment.
Guadalupe Gutierrez-Juarez, 37, of St. Anthony, was arrested the same day, police said. He later was charged with one count of rape and remains in jail with bail set at $250,000 pending a preliminary hearing May 13.
Dr. Barbara Nelson from Rosemark Women's Care in St. Anthony told KIDK-TV News she's never worked a case with a girl this young.
"Less than 10 percent of girls will start their periods before age 11," Nelson said. "We have a lot of data about teen pregnancy and not a lot about children, obviously the numbers are quite low."
In this case, the baby was reported to weigh about six pounds at birth and was full term.
The girl may have had a condition called precocious puberty, which means the gland controlling puberty activates early.
She was also a little overweight so that may have concealed the pregnancy. Both the girl and her baby daughter are in state custody.
As news of the girl's case spreads through the St. Anthony community, many people are coming forward to offer their support.
"I felt great sadness for the child and the family," said Dee Raush of the St. Anthony City Council. "I went around and I've talked to people in the community and their hearts just pour out to this girl and her family and (say they) would do anything."
The girl is reported to be in good physical health despite what she has been through.
And Dr. Nelson said a 10-year-old giving birth is far from a record.
The youngest girl on record to ever give birth was a 5-year-old in Peru in the 1930s. The little girl gave birth by C-Section and her parents actually raised the baby as her sibling.
