A 10-year-old girl in Argentina was discovered to be six months pregnant after being admitted to hospital with severe abdominal pain, prompting the arrest of her stepfather, who is accused of abusing her.
The child was taken to the accident and emergency department at Colonia Dora Hospital, in the province of Santiago del Estero, by her mother. An obstetrician examined the youngster and found she was at an advanced stage of pregnancy. Her mother had allegedly informed the doctor that the girl had not yet begun menstruating.
During the consultation, the child named her stepfather, 33-year-old Julio Vivas, as the individual responsible for the alleged abuse.
Arrest and Investigation
Prosecutor Guillermo Farías, who is overseeing the investigation, ordered Vivas' immediate arrest after learning of the allegations. Police officers then travelled to a property in the rural district of El Bracho, where the suspect was living with the girl and her mother. He was arrested on Tuesday morning, and officers seized his mobile phone as part of their inquiries.
The investigation has also involved the Women's Police Station, while authorities gather evidence and take statements to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged abuse. Vivas remains in custody as proceedings continue.
Family Reactions
The child's grandmother, Norma Gómez, has expressed her anguish following the discovery, claiming she had previously warned her daughter against trusting the man. Speaking to local broadcaster Noticiero 7, she said her daughter, Andrea, had met Vivas online.
"She – that is, Andrea, her daughter – met him over the phone, but I always told her not to trust him too much," Norma said.
The grandmother also revealed she had endured similar trauma during her own childhood, describing the anguish of discovering what had allegedly happened to her granddaughter. "I went through the same thing as the little girl did when I was eight. I know that kind of suffering," she said.
Norma continued: "I always used to tell my husband: if anyone so much as lays a finger on one of my children, I'll kill them with my own hands." She has demanded justice and urged authorities to ensure the accused is held accountable.
School and Ongoing Inquiry
Meanwhile, the child's teacher, Lucrecia, said she had observed nothing unusual about the pupil's behaviour at school. "She is a quiet girl; she does her homework... I have never noticed any strange behaviour on her part, nor has she ever been unwell," she told local media.
Further concerns have also been raised about the wider family environment, with claims that the girl's mother had been living amid violence and intimidation.
Investigators are continuing to gather evidence, including examining the seized mobile phone, as they seek to establish the full circumstances of the case. Officials have yet to publicly disclose further information about the girl's medical condition or the measures put in place to safeguard her welfare.
