The 11-year-old girl who got pregnant after being repeatedly raped by her 61-year-old step-granddad is recovering in hospital after undergoing an abortion that her mother initially refused due to pressure from a Catholic organisation.
The young girl was impregnated by her stepdad in Yapacani, which is a town located in the province of Ichilo, in the eastern Bolivian department of Santa Cruz.
The 11-year-old had been initially been set to have an abortion, local media outlet Pagina Siete said on 21st October, but at the last moment, the minor’s mother changed her mind and said that she would see the pregnancy through.
The girl’s mother changed her mind after a Catholic organisation called her and pressured her not to go through with the operation, according to local media outlet Debate.
This reportedly went against the wishes of the girl’s doctors and of the judicial authorities, who had advised that the pregnancy should be terminated.
But several weeks after cancelling the abortion, the minor’s mother once again changed her mind and her daughter underwent the operation, Debate reported on Monday (8th November).
It is not clear why she changed her mind.
The operation was carried out on Monday and the girl was last reported to be in a stable condition and recovering in hospital.
Jeyson Auza, Minister of Health and Sports, said: “The girl is in a stable condition and we have taken all the precautions required by law to protect the girl’s right to health and life.”
The suspect, who has not been named, is currently being held in custody, according to local media outlet El Deber.
The 11-year-old and her unnamed 15-year-old sister had been living under the care of the suspect since last February, because their mother and father, unnamed, were working in the capital La Paz as a cook and as a bricklayer, respectively, still according to El Deber.
The 11-year-old was determined to be 21 weeks pregnant after the first ultrasound was performed by doctors.
Abortion in generally illegal in Bolivia, However, exceptions are granted in cases of sexual assault, congenital malformations or when the mother’s life is in danger.
