A 13-year-old girl in Brazil has died after giving birth to her father's child, following years of sexual abuse that began when she was nine, police have said.
Luana Ketlen was rushed to hospital on December 11 with severe abdominal pains, where doctors discovered she was seven months pregnant. She was diagnosed with acute anaemia and underwent induced labour, delivering a premature baby boy who survived.
However, her condition deteriorated after the birth due to complications including low blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, and water on the lungs. She died while being airlifted to a specialist hospital in Manaus, 225 miles away.
Police say her father, Tome Faba, 36, had been sexually abusing her for four years and threatened to kill her if she told anyone. He went on the run but was arrested a week later and charged with child abuse and manslaughter.
The family, living outside Coari, claimed they were unaware of the abuse. Luana's aunt persuaded her to reveal the father's identity, but her mother initially refused to believe her. Social services had been alerted, but the warrant for Faba's arrest was not executed before Luana's death.
The baby is reportedly doing well, but it remains unclear whether he will be allowed to live with Luana's family. The case has sparked outrage, with protests outside the court during Faba's appearance.
