Aged 13: "I thought it would be good to have a baby"

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waynetravis

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Baby-faced boy Alfie Patten is father at 13-years-old | The Sun |News

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Baby-faced Alfie, who is 13 but looks more like eight, became a father four days ago when his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman gave birth to 7lb 3oz Maisie Roxanne.
He told how he and Chantelle, 15, decided against an abortion after discovering she was pregnant.

The shy lad, whose voice has not yet broken, said: “I thought it would be good to have a baby.
“I didn’t think about how we would afford it. I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10.”

Alfie, who is just 4ft tall, added: “When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.

“I didn’t know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”

Alfie’s dad Dennis told how the lad does not really understand the enormity of his situation — but seemed desperate to be a devoted and responsible father.

Secret

He wanted to be the first to hold Maisie after the hospital birth. He tenderly kisses the baby and gives her a bottle.

And Dennis, 45, said: “He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day.”

Maisie was conceived after Chantelle and Alfie — just 12 at the time — had a single night of unprotected sex.

They found out about the baby when Chantelle was 12 weeks pregnant.

But they kept it a secret until six weeks later when Chantelle’s mum Penny, 38, became suspicious about her weight gain and confronted her.
fter that Alfie’s family told only those closest to them for fear he would be “demonised” at school.

Chantelle gave birth to Maisie on Monday night after a five-hour labour at Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex.

Last night she told The Sun: “I’m tired after the birth. I was nervous after going into labour but otherwise I was quite excited.”

Chantelle told how she discovered she was expecting after going to her GP with “really bad” stomach pains. She said: “Me and Alfie went. The doctor asked me whether we had sex. I said yes and he said I should do a pregnancy test. He did the test and said I was pregnant. I started crying and didn’t know what to do.

“He said I should tell my mum but I was too scared.

“We didn’t think we would need help from our parents. You don’t really think about that when you find out you are pregnant. You just think your parents will kill you.”

But Penny figured out what was going on after buying Chantelle a T-shirt which revealed her swelling tum.

Chantelle admitted she and Alfie — who are both being supported by their parents — would be accused of being grossly irresponsible. She said: “We know we made a mistake but I wouldn’t change it now. We will be good loving parents.

“I have started a church course and I am going to do work experience helping other young mums.

“I’ll be a great mum and Alfie will be a great dad.”

Chantelle and Maisie were released from hospital yesterday. They are living with Penny, Chantelle’s jobless dad Steve, 43, and her five brothers in a rented council house in Eastbourne. The family live on benefits. Alfie, who lives on an estate across town with mum Nicola, 43, spends most of his time at the Steadmans’ house.

He is allowed to stay overnight and even has a school uniform there so he can go straight to his classes in the morning.

Alfie’s dad, who is separated from Nicola, believes the lad is scared deep down.

He said: “Everyone is telling him things and it’s going round in his head. It hasn’t really dawned on him. He hasn’t got a clue of what the baby means and can’t explain how he feels. All he knows is mum and dad will help.

“When you mention money his eyes look away. And she is reliant on her mum and dad. It’s crazy. They have no idea what lies ahead.”

Dennis, who works for a vehicle recovery firm, described Alfie as “a typical 13-year-old boy”.

He said: “He loves computer games, boxing and Manchester United.” Dennis, who has fathered nine kids, told how he was “gobsmacked” when he discovered Alfie was to be a dad, too.

He said: “When I spoke to him he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come.

“I will talk to him again and it will be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to understand so there is not another baby.”

Chantelle’s mum said: “I told her it was lovely to have the baby but I wish it was in different circumstances. We have five children already so it’s a big financial responsibility. But we are a family and will pull together and get through.

“She’s my daughter. I love her and she will want for nothing.”

Last night Michaela Aston, of the anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, said: “We commend these teenagers for their courage in bringing their child into the world.

“At the same time this is symptomatic of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”

Today Sussex Police and the local council's children services said they have investigated the case and pledged continued support for the young parents.

Britain’s youngest known father is Sean Stewart. He became a dad at 12 when the girl next door, 15-year-old Emma Webster, gave birth in Sharnbrook, Bedford, in 1998. They split six months later.




Christ :huh:
 
“At the same time this is symptomatic of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”

Um, NO!!!

He said: “When I spoke to him he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come.

“I will talk to him again and it will be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to understand so there is not another baby.”

It's the fact that this kid had no sex education to begin with...






*That picture is just disturbing.
 
How much do you want to bet that these kids come from low income backgrounds, have very little sense of worth and future prospects, have had ridiculously poor sex education - which Britain is infamous for?
Oh, looks like I'm right.

I hope the Sun gave them a good wedge of money for this story.
 
This is disturbing. That kid DOES look like 8 years old.

Even then, 13 is WAY too young to have a kid.

The fact that they didn't have sex ed is perhaps even more disturbing. :doh:
 
Stories like these aren't at all suprising nowadays.

:yes: 13 year old girls have babies quite frequently, I think people are more shocked that it's a 13 year old boy being the father - and teenage boys do tend to look younger than girls.
 
The girl doesnt surprise me...but the boy REALLY does. I heard this on the news, but had no idea how young looking he was.


Im surprised that they managed to concieve at all really...
 
If I could rule the world, proper sex education would be drilled into kids heads beginning at about 10. It's not too young, because that's the age when many of them start thinking about sex. Condoms would not be something 'dirty' to snicker about, but an everyday tool that kids will understand the use of and have access to. Put them in the friggin cereal boxes.

Avoiding the subject doesn't make it go away, and not telling your kids about sex won't keep them innocent. Educating them will not encourage them to go out and sleep around. Their hormones are already doing that. But education will keep them safe and help them make smart decisions.

I knew all about pregnancy and AIDS and safe sex and birth control by age 11. It didn't turn me into a hussy, but it made me smart. I didn't have sex until I was 19, and since then I haven't had a single pregnancy scare. I've taken every precaution to be safe and healthy, because it's the responsible thing to do, and I knew that from having decent sex education. Thank god for the Clinton years.
 
Where are the parents? When this kid started saying, "Mom, Dad, I want to have a baby," they should have stepped in and said "Wait until you're old enough, son."

And where are the parents of the 15 year old girl? That isn't any better. They should have stepped in, too.

Wait until these kids want to go away to college, and then realize they can't with all the responsibilities they have, that could have been avoided. That will be a wakeup call if anything is.
 
If I could rule the world, proper sex education would be drilled into kids heads beginning at about 10. It's not too young, because that's the age when many of them start thinking about sex. Condoms would not be something 'dirty' to snicker about, but an everyday tool that kids will understand the use of and have access to. Put them in the friggin cereal boxes.

Avoiding the subject doesn't make it go away, and not telling your kids about sex won't keep them innocent. Educating them will not encourage them to go out and sleep around. Their hormones are already doing that. But education will keep them safe and help them make smart decisions.

I knew all about pregnancy and AIDS and safe sex and birth control by age 11. It didn't turn me into a hussy, but it made me smart. I didn't have sex until I was 19, and since then I haven't had a single pregnancy scare. I've taken every precaution to be safe and healthy, because it's the responsible thing to do, and I knew that from having decent sex education. Thank god for the Clinton years.



Chass, you're awesome. Seriously, I'd vote for you for world president!

I agree on all you said. Here sex ed is usually given in last grade of primary school, that makes you about 11 too. My mom just gave me a book and told me if I had any questions I could ask them. Then ofcourse in the first grade of highschool it was taught at school, but most of us 12 years old kids knew it all.
Did it make us go crazy and have sex really early? Not at all! Ofcourse there are some less smart kids that made mistakes, but that's usually the less educated kids around.
If any, it made us smarter. Consider what we were doing more. Knowledge makes you think before you act. Abstinence forbids you something, and everyone knows that when you forbid a teenager something, it's way more tempting to do it!
 
Thought this story was wierd to begin with (because the "father" looks younger than the baby), but now it's just funny and not just because the kid's name is Alfie....

3 other fellas have come out claiming they are the father of the kid, one of them at the ripe old age of 16, and apparently Chantelle was a right slut, and she slept with like every guy in her village, so anyone could be her father (or is willing to be the father to take a share of all the tabloid money)....meanwhile poor Alfie probably doesn't know what's going on, but he might be becoming a rather rich boy with the Sun constantly reporting this case.....:doh:.....these kids are celebrities, Chantelle is currently the world's most famous "slut".

Of course therea re huge social issues with this. Poor sex education, kids not understanding the possible consequences of their actions, but it's all becoming quite entertaining and laughable...

Sex education is screwed because kids' initial understanding of sex (usually at ages 6-9) is that it is a secret act, taboo and rude, or as the butt of all jokes...it's these stigmas associated with sex which arouses curiousity, and sex is never imagined as a mature act at all for kids in the early teens, just as a very unique human thing that is is to be joked about and something which adults do.

I'm pretty radical and liberal maybe, but in this truly fucked up society, the best way kids can be educated about sex is for their parents to be sexually liberal (as if it's no big deal, just a normal thing to do - like eating, showering, sleeping, listneing to music) and for kids to not find out about what sex is at school (which is what happens now), and to have an understanding about what sex is at the age of 4 or 5, before they get told what sex is by their classmates in grade 2 and before they hear so called comedians using sex as a means for getting a laugh.
 
I feel sorry for Chantelle, because apparently she's slept with a lot of guys in a short period of time at a young age. Now she's being looked down upon as a "slut."

I think not only should kids be taught about sex early on - and by their parents - but they need to be taught self-respect and respecting others. This girl should've been taught self love and not taking advantage of others (that's what I think she did in the case of Alfie. I mean, why else would a 15 year old girl sleep with a pre-pubescent?). If Chantelle had been raised properly, she wouldn't be a mother at 15 with a lot of guys coming forward as the father.
 
If I could rule the world, proper sex education would be drilled into kids heads beginning at about 10. It's not too young, because that's the age when many of them start thinking about sex. Condoms would not be something 'dirty' to snicker about, but an everyday tool that kids will understand the use of and have access to. Put them in the friggin cereal boxes.

Avoiding the subject doesn't make it go away, and not telling your kids about sex won't keep them innocent. Educating them will not encourage them to go out and sleep around. Their hormones are already doing that. But education will keep them safe and help them make smart decisions.

I knew all about pregnancy and AIDS and safe sex and birth control by age 11. It didn't turn me into a hussy, but it made me smart. I didn't have sex until I was 19, and since then I haven't had a single pregnancy scare. I've taken every precaution to be safe and healthy, because it's the responsible thing to do, and I knew that from having decent sex education. Thank god for the Clinton years.

:love:

We had the news on last night (while we were having dinner :reject: ) and when this story came on my 3 kids (9 year old boys, 13 year old girl) all turned and stared at the tv . . . when the story was over they were quiet for a bit and then the dialogue started - it was really interesting, they all seemed to think that these kids were pretty silly for getting themselves into a pickle so early in life but the focus of their concern was 'how are they going to look after that baby with no jobs, how will they still go to school, how will they even get good jobs if they can't finish school', and my favourite 'would Alfie still be able to ride his bike and play play station with the baby there'!

What an awful reality for these two kids - no one is a winner at all - lets just hope that their families and social services rally and the press (eventually) leaves them the hell alone . . . .tis a fine fine line between 'reporting' and 'sensationalising' a story.
 
Sex education at school is all well and good but it's our (I'm 14) parents that need to explain these things to us. I'm not just talking about the whole protection thing, but....well...Let's put it like this:

Kids my age see the future as something to drag towards yourself by getting smashed and shagged. Apparently, sex is the speediest bullet train to that destination of being adult, or perhaps just downright cool. I know a lad just half a year older than me, and I realise as a fact that he's slept with a girl...which is all well and good but he is a kid and it denies all basic moral...no, you are NOT responsible enough, I'm sorry to say so, because if, just if, something slips...

you're trapped.

No offense meant towards anyone, I hope I don't come round as aggresive, and also I hope you'll excuse my naivety but hopefully this gives you some insight into a youngsters mind.
 
3 other fellas have come out claiming they are the father of the kid, one of them at the ripe old age of 16, and apparently Chantelle was a right slut, and she slept with like every guy in her village, so anyone could be her father (or is willing to be the father to take a share of all the tabloid money)

I dunno. I don't think that boy is capable of fathering a child. He' so short he hasn't had his growth spurt and his voice hasn't changed yet. That means he hasn't gone through puberty. Maybe the baby is somebody else's and she's covering for him. This "Alfie" was the only one who was devoted to the baby and had supporting enough parents, but if there's tabloid money they'll all come out of the woodwork. Good thing we have DNA tests now to know for sure who the baby daddy.

Hey at least this time there's just ONE baby!
 
I'm going to sound like Bill O'Reilly here, but what the hell. This is a complete failure of parenthood and parental responsibilities. Read a few statements from the involved parents and the parents of the other boys coming forward and you'll know all you need to know. Shameful.
 
I dunno. I don't think that boy is capable of fathering a child. He' so short he hasn't had his growth spurt and his voice hasn't changed yet. That means he hasn't gone through puberty. Maybe the baby is somebody else's and she's covering for him. This "Alfie" was the only one who was devoted to the baby and had supporting enough parents, but if there's tabloid money they'll all come out of the woodwork. Good thing we have DNA tests now to know for sure who the baby daddy.

Hey at least this time there's just ONE baby!

I am 100% sure this boy is incapable of fathering a child.
He's a child himself. His parents are going to have to pay for the kid, the boy doesn't even get allowance! He has to go to school otherwise he'll never get a decent job, so where will the kid stay? With the boy's parents.

It's entirely possible that he's the father, but yea, never sure.
 
I'm glad you got in here first and posted this thread, as i would have written something more condemning

This is disgusting
The newspapers should not pay them a single penny. This story just sums Broken Britain. Far tougher measures need to be taken. This story is so sad as by the time Alfie is 28 he will be a grandfather

1. This is an illegal act. Both sets of parents of Alfie and the 15 year old should be prosecuted. They should have raised their kids properly, given them hope. Told them that if they have kids at a young age their lives will be ruined. Install some boundaries for them and scare them of the consequences of doing wrong.
2. The kid should be taken into care. Its the only hope the child has and should never see their natural parents again.
3. The UK has lost all sense of morality, how this story can be glorified is beyond me.
4. The government should put tougher measures into place. If parents cant look after their kids and they end up pregnant, they should face serious action and kids should be taken away
5. The tax payers will end up supporting these disgusting young families.
6. The SUN newspaper has always been like toilet roll covered in shit. Simply glorifying this issue will lead to other teenagers thinking they can cash in on being teenage parents.

Great Britain R.I.P.
 
I'm glad you got in here first and posted this thread, as i would have written something more condemning

This is disgusting
The newspapers should not pay them a single penny. This story just sums Broken Britain. Far tougher measures need to be taken. This story is so sad as by the time Alfie is 28 he will be a grandfather

1. This is an illegal act. Both sets of parents of Alfie and the 15 year old should be prosecuted
2. The kid should be taken into care. Its the only hope the child has and should never see their natural parents again.
3. The UK has lost all sense of morality, how this story can be glorified is beyond me.
4. The government should put tougher measures into place. If parents cant look after their kids and they end up pregnant, they should face serious action and kids should be taken away
5. The tax payers will end up supporting these disgsuting young families.
6. The SUN newspaper has always been like toilet roll covered in shit. Simply glorifying this issue will lead to other teenagers thinking they can cash in on being teenage parents.

Great Britain R.I.P.


... ignorance.

1. And make their situation worse than it already is?
2. ... and make their situation worse than it already is?
3. I don't think anyone's glorifying this story at all. The Sun is sensationalising it, and you've fallen for that one with your cries of 'Broken Britain.' Perhaps we should send these kids death threats, too?
4. Where do you draw the line? How can parents stop their kids having sex if they've told them the facts of life, done their best to raise them up well, and they still want to do it anyway? The government needs to think of sex education, not incarceration. The Dutch have the lowest teen pregnancy rates in Europe and sex education starts at age 5. Go figure.
5. You're very quick to label these kids monsters and condemn them, when you're forgetting that they're just a couple of kids who've had sex. And the 'tax payer' argument is weak, we pay for a lot of things we don't want to. If less teenagers were to have children, would our taxes be less? No. The money would go on other things, like wars. Which would you rather?
6. I agree, the Sun is worthless. But they're not glorifying this at all, I don't know where you've gotten that idea.
 
UK has the highest teenage pregancy rate in Europe
Highest alcohol abuse rate in Europe
Highest drug abuse rate in Europe
Highest level of personal debt in Europe
In my city over the weekend 3 people were stabbed to death
Handouts and a slap on the wrist do nothing

Radical action is the only way. Sex education is neccessary but also FEAR. They need to know the dangers of ruining not only their lives, but the baby who is born. DONT tell me these parents raised their kids properly. They knew they were going out with each other and ALLOWED them to sleep in the same room. They deserve to be punished. Liberalism will not solve this.

That baby should have been taken away as soon as it was born. Its best for all. The baby's future is more imporant than whether or not 2 teenagers want to keep the kid. They should not be given the right to make that decision.

This country is turning into a total shithole
I cant wait to leave
 
How can parents stop their kids having sex if they've told them the facts of life, done their best to raise them up well, and they still want to do it anyway?

I absolutely agree with your entire post.

But I don't get the feeling that these parents did any of these things, sadly. What a mess.
 
Fear??? Teaching children to be afraid of sex and pregnancy and so on? Um. No. And, ah, where will you move to that is better than the UK? I assume you mean somewhere where young teens don't fall pregnant due to ignorance or naivety. Let me know how that goes for you!

*this post was to MadForIt. Forgot to quote, doh.
 
Sex education at school is all well and good but it's our (I'm 14) parents that need to explain these things to us. I'm not just talking about the whole protection thing, but....well...Let's put it like this:

Kids my age see the future as something to drag towards yourself by getting smashed and shagged. Apparently, sex is the speediest bullet train to that destination of being adult, or perhaps just downright cool. I know a lad just half a year older than me, and I realise as a fact that he's slept with a girl...which is all well and good but he is a kid and it denies all basic moral...no, you are NOT responsible enough, I'm sorry to say so, because if, just if, something slips...

you're trapped.

No offense meant towards anyone, I hope I don't come round as aggresive, and also I hope you'll excuse my naivety but hopefully this gives you some insight into a youngsters mind.
Good grief, you're mature for your age. :)


I think parents need educating just as much as kids. There should be some sort of obligatory parenting classes you need to attend.

I also dont believe that this kid could be the father. Biologically...it doesnt seem possible (judging on his appearence and description).
 
Yes kids should be fearful of breaking rules and boundaries
They should be raised to treat themselves with some respect and to respect the wishes and morals their parents wish for them to have (LIKE ADYPOLE)
Chantelle is a slut
This whole case has come about from bad parenting from Alfie and Chantelle's parents
And YES kids do deserve a SLAP once in a while - then they will know not to repeat the same offence

There is nothing wrong in being preganant but the age of the parents and the timing has to be important

What is wrong in saying to the kids, "hey sunshine, make sure you dont have sex until you can deal with the consequences. At least get some qualifications so then if you are to be a parent you can get a job, you can raise the child and have some hope of giving the child a good future."
 
So we're just assuming that these other boys who are claiming to be the father are telling the truth when they're saying they slept with Chantelle? And not just little shits trying to talk big and be famous for five minutes?

No? We're just going to assume they're right and that Chantelle's a big ol' slut, because hey, since she's put out for one other kid, she must be boinking the entire village!

Intedomine and MadForIt, your posts have spoken volumes about you. (Not that I'm all that shocked, at least coming from one of you.)

Yeah, this story is sad and fucked-up. Why make it worse?
 
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