The mother of a pregnant child in northeastern Thailand was shocked after hospital staff said her daughter claimed that “God” made her pregnant. However under further investigation its reported her step father had sexually abused her in their home.
The 14-year-old girl is now under the care of a shelter in northern Thailand’s Buriram province. Her state of her mind seems to be improving and she appears cheerful said Phatthira Khuncha, head of the Shelter for Children and Families. The girl’s story grabbed headlines recently after she collapsed and was taken to a local hospital. Doctors were shocked to find she was two months pregnant. Hospital staff were further stunned when she said that “Ong Thep”, (God) had made her pregnant. However relatives pointed an accusing finger at the girl’s stepfather. They claimed her elder sister had also been sexually abused when she was 15. They also questioned why nobody in the household had filed a police complaint. Officials at the shelter have now filed a formal complaint with the police against the stepfather. He turned himself in the following day to acknowledge charges. He’s charged with raping a girl aged below 15 and performing an obscene act on a child under his care.
Thai media reported that the 48-year-old man admitted he had sex with the girl but claimed he was unaware of what he was doing because “God” occupied his body at the time. The head of the shelter on Saturday quoted the girl’s mother as saying that she was not aware that her husband had allegedly raped her daughter. The mother insisted she only learned what had happened to her daughter when the case was made public. The mother has since expressed willingness to file a complaint against her husband, said Ms Phatthira. At this stage, it was not necessary as the shelter had already filed a complaint. The mother could be a co-plaintiff if she wanted, the shelter director added. Ms. Phatthira admitted that terminating the pregnancy would be a sensitive issue. A team representing the relevant agencies and the girl’s family would have to make a joint decision. Above all taking into consideration the impact on the child, she said. Pol Col Krissana Pattanacharoen, the deputy national police spokesman, said he had received a police report on the matter. National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda has instructed investigators to gather evidence carefully and swiftly as the case involved a child, he said.
