A 13-year-old teenage girl raped for over four years by her father died while giving birth to his child, police in Brazil said.
Schoolgirl, Luana Ketlen, had been allegedly raped by Tome Faba, 36, since the age of nine. No one in her family suspected she was being abused.
On December 27 he appeared in court charged with child abuse and manslaughter.
The slightly-built teen was seven months pregnant when she was rushed to the regional hospital in Coari, suffering from severe pains.
Doctors diagnosed her with acute anaemia and decided to induce labour. She gave birth to a premature baby boy who miraculously survived.
But following delivery, the girl’s health took a turn for the worse and test results found she was suffering from multiple complications including cirrhosis of the liver, pleural effusion (excess water on the lungs) and low blood pressure.
The tragic adolescent died while being airlifted to a specialist hospital in Manaus, the Amazonas state capital, some 363km away.
The dad went on the run shortly after his daughter’s death on December 11. He was captured a week later hiding out in Coari city after police issued a wanted poster.
At a press conference, Coari police chief, José Barradas, in charge of the investigation said: “The teenager lived with her parents in a rural area outside the city. She did not realise, until two months ago when she began to feel pains in her abdomen, that she was five months pregnant.
“Luana claimed she was ordered to go fishing with her father and was allegedly raped by him while there.”
LIFE THREATENED
A relative, who did not want to be identified, described the teenager as innocent and immature who was so traumatised by her discovery she kept it secret until she couldn’t hide it anymore.
It was only when her body started to change and family members became suspicious that she could be pregnant that they uncovered the alleged abuse.
The viitim was persuaded by an aunt to reveal who the culprit was.
Chief Barradas said, the youngster claimed that during the years of abuse, the suspect threatened to kill her if she reported what was happening.
Barradas said: “Members of the family tried to step in and protect the child by alerting social services.
“They reported the abuse to police and a warrant was issued for Tome’s arrest but before it could be executed Luana’s health deteriorated and she died shortly after childbirth”.
The incident caused outrage in the community with many protesting outside the court during the accused’s appearance.
Social services is yet to determine whether relatives will be given guardianship of the newborn boy.
Meanwhile, police revealed the preterm “baby boy is doing exceptionally well” and thriving in the hospital’s neo natal unit, following his traumatic birth.
According to doctors he is “strong and already breathing without a ventilator”.
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