Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

The premature baby of a 12-year-old girl who was raped by her grandfather has died after the girl was denied an abortion.

The pregnant girl had begged to be allowed to terminate the shocking pregnancy, but she had been told she was too late.

Under Bolivian law, abortion is legal for rape and incest victims, but the procedure can only be undertaken up to the 22nd week of pregnancy.

Medics at the German Urquidi Maternal and Child Hospital in Cochabamba had denied her pleas because she was six months pregnant at the time.

The hospital’s refusal to terminate the young girl’s pregnancy shocked Bolivia, with many calling for reform of the country’s abortion laws.

The infant was delivered by C-section in the 29th week of the pregnancy. The premature newborn’s health was delicate and it was placed in an incubator but died.

The girl was reportedly raped by her grandfather in Senda F, in the municipality of Chimore.

It transpired that the elderly man, a farmer, had allegedly raped his granddaughter many times before she fell pregnant.

He is now being held in pre-trial custody at San Pedro de Sacaba prison.

The names of both the victim and the alleged perpetrator were not given in local reports.