12-year-old 'rape' victim delivers child; baby to be given up for adoption

A 12-year-old girl, who got pregnant after being allegedly raped by her stepfather, delivered a baby boy at a government hospital in Mumbai.

The girl, a resident of neighbouring Thane city, delivered the baby at JJ Hospital on Monday, said a senior doctor of the medical facility.

"The newborn would be handed over to an orphanage for which the girl's family members have given consent," said obstetrician Rekha Davar, who is Head of Department of Gynaecology at J J Hospital.

The minor's pregnancy was discovered at very late stage (after seven months). The girl later told her mother that she had been repeatedly raped by her stepfather, resulting in the pregnancy, police said.

"The baby was delivered through Cesarean section surgery since the girl was of very tender age. The baby weights 2.8kg and both the mother and child are doing fine in the neo-natal intensive care unit," said Davar.

She told PTI, "the minor girl was brought to our hospital by an NGO after a police case was filed. Considering the girl's age, we admitted her 15 days in advance to provide her full pre-natal care."

According to another physician, "initially, when the girl complained of abdomen pain (in July), the doctor prescribed painkillers as he didn't suspect she was pregnant. When painkillers did not work, a sonography was done and it was discovered she was more than seven months pregnant." A senior officer of Kolsewadi Police Station in Thane, where the case was registered, said, "In July, a case was registered against the accused, who died in a hospital due to illness."