A second teenager has reportedly claimed to be the father of a child born to a teenaged girl in a case which has caused an outcry in Britain.
According to reports earlier this week Alfie Patten was only 12 when the baby was conceived with his girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, 15. The Sun tabloid newspaper reported their daughter, Maisie Roxanne, was born on Monday. It carried photos and interviews with the pair and their child on Friday and Saturday. Alfie told the newspaper that he thought “it would be good to have a baby.” While Chantelle said they wanted to “prove to everyone” that they could give Maisie a “great future” and that they both planned to stay in school. However, on Sunday the Sun’s sister paper, the News of the World, reported that Richard Goodsell, aged 16, was claiming he was Maisie’s father. “I know I could be the father. Everyone thinks I am. My friends all tell me that baby has my eyes — even my mum thinks so. “Only a DNA test is going to sort this out properly. If I am the father, I have the right to know,” he told the News of the World. The situation has provoked a wide response, with Conservative party leader David Cameron telling the British Press Association that parenthood should not be something the teenagers should even have been contemplating.
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Prime Minister Gordon Brown said “all of us would want to avoid teenage pregnancies,” PA reported. Tony Kerridge, of the sexual health specialist Marie Stopes International, told PA that children needed better education. The response from CNN readers ranged from outrage to questions about whether the situation was actually rare. Allyson said exactly the same thing had happened in her home town. “Well, this is not news to my area. We had this same thing happen five years ago. Same aged boy and girl. They had a little girl. The dad graduated from high school the year before his daughter started kindergarten! He has full custody as the mom has moved out of town and had another child. I am glad the family has supported this child even though the ‘parents’ didn’t make a good decision in having a child so young.” Martha said she found the situation “very sad.” “I did not become a mom until I was 24 and it was still a struggle. I think these children’s parents should be held accountable. Where were they These kids have no idea what their lives will be like, finish school! Only if they are very lucky with a good support system.” Becky was dismayed. “This just shocks me and makes me sick… they are still kids! Only 13 and 15 year old! So where are their parents” Tell us what you think about the case
