Kids with kids: Where are Britain’s youngest parents now

When the story of then 13-year-old Alfie Patten went viral, then Prime Minister David Cameron stated, “I just thought how worrying that in Britain today children are having children.”

Even before reaching the legal age to buy party poppers, Alfie became the youngest ever father in Britain. It was later determined that another young man, slightly older than Alfie was the real father, and this incident ruined Alfie’s life completely. Even today, he’s facing plenty of issues, including alcohol abuse and problems with the law.

However, the story of Alfie and the girl who gave birth to his alleged daughter isn’t the only one of youngsters becoming parents in Britain.

Tressa Middleton, the youngest mother in Britain, who gave birth to her first daughter at the age of just twelve, recently announced she’s expecting her fourth child.

The now 29-year-old mom shared the news of her pregnancy on the social media by posting a photo of the ultrasound. She welcomed her latest child 17 years after she made headlines for being the youngest mother Britain has ever seen.

“So guys, it’s another girl!!” she captioned her post. “Four girls, I can’t believe it. Good luck, Darren.”

Former Britain’s youngest mum Tressa Middleton with her daughter in 2006

Tressa’s story is a heartbreaking one. Her parents were alcohol and drug abusers and her childhood was a tough one, to say the least.

She fell pregnant at the age of 11 and gave birth at 12, shortly after finishing elementary school.

Following the birth of her daughter, the young mom battled depression and started using drugs and alcohol, which resulted in losing the custody of her girl. The baby was put up for adoption.

The father’s identity was kept a secret until 2009, or three years after Tressa gave birth.

At one point, she broke down and confessed that her daughter was her brother’s who s******y assaulted her from the time she was seven years old.

The 34-year-old Jason was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison in 2009.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2011, Tressa confessed that “sometimes he blackmailed or bribed me to do it.

“He’d say he was going to tell Mum. He’d give me things – joints, drink, cigarettes. Or he’d threaten me.”

Since then, Tressa has battled to put her life back on track and overcome her addictions, which cost her around £400 every day.

Up until 2011, Tressa was considered to be the youngest mother in Britain. But then, the news of an 11-year-old girl who gave birth filled the headlines.

The girl’s identity was kept a secret, but what is known, as per The Sun, that she was s******y assaulted and her family was unaware of that.

“It has come as a big shock,” a family friend said in 2021 to The Sun.

“She’s now being surrounded by expert help. The main thing is that she and the baby are OK.”

Prior to the case of Alfie, it was Sean Stewart who was thought to be the youngest father in Britain.

In 1998, Sean’s next door neighbor, Emma Webster, 15, got pregnant with his child. At the time, Sean was 11 years old.

A month after turning twelve, Sean’s son, Ben Louis, was born and Sean was granted a day off from school.

Sean and Emma were neighbors and according to her, he would climb to her rooftop to see her.

“He said he was 12, I’d never have gone out with him if I’d known he was 11,” she told The Sunday Telegraph at the time.

Shortly after giving birth, Emma married someone else and moved to a £200,000 house, while Sean continued attending his local school before leaving Bedfordshire in his early adolescence.

According to The Daily Mail, in the early 2000s, he was incarcerated for seven months for stealing.

Speaking of him, Emma said at the time, “I don’t know where Sean is or what he is doing. I don’t want to talk about it anymore because I don’t think it helps Ben.”

No matter how unbelievable these stories sound, the one that is the most shocking of all is that of Lina Medina from Peru who gave birth at the age of just five. Today, Medina is 89 years old.

When she gave birth in 1939, she became the youngest mother in the history. Allegedly, she suffered from “precocious puberty,” a disorder that causes puberty to start earlier than usual.

Teenage couples of a comparable age who have consensual s*x in the UK and are under the legal consent age of 16 are unlikely to face legal action.

But all s****l activity with children under the age of 13 is illegal.

Husband Changes Locks and Throws Wife Out Thinking She Cheated – She Proves Him Wrong

Newlywed bliss shatters when Sarah’s husband, Jake, accuses her of cheating after “smelling cologne” in their bedroom. Alone and humiliated, Sarah pieces together the truth — and it’s far from what Jake expected.

It had only been two weeks since Jake and I said our vows. Two weeks of riding that post-wedding glow like it was some invincible wave. It felt like we were untouchable. No one told me how quickly that feeling could collapse.

A happy woman | Source: Midjourney

A happy woman | Source: Midjourney

Jake’s mom had the accident on a Sunday morning. I was folding laundry when he got the call. One second, he was tapping his phone on the counter, scrolling through some meme page, and the next, his face drained of color.

“Mom’s hurt,” he said, already pulling on his hoodie. “Dad accidentally hit her with the car.” His voice cracked on that last part. “Her hip… it’s bad. She needs an urgent replacement.”

I grabbed the keys for him. “I’ll drive.”

Car keys | Source: Pexels

Car keys | Source: Pexels

“No, no. I’ll be faster.” His eyes met mine, wild and unfocused. “I’ll call you when I know more.”

He kissed me on the side of my head, and then he was gone. Just like that. I stood in the kitchen, the faint smell of detergent in the air, trying to process what he’d just said. His dad hit his mom with the car?

Hours later, he called to say he’d be staying at his parents’ house to help care for her post-surgery. I told him it was fine. It was. What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t understand that?

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Midjourney

Three days later, on Wednesday morning, I was halfway out the door for work when I heard the front lock turn behind me. My heart jumped. Jake?

He stepped in wearing the same hoodie and worn jeans. He grinned when he saw me, but as I hurried forward to greet him, he stopped in his tracks. His nose crinkled and his eyes darted across the apartment like he was searching for something.

“Hey, babe! I didn’t know you were coming back today,” I said.

A man in an apartment | Source: Midjourney

A man in an apartment | Source: Midjourney

He didn’t smile. He didn’t even look at me, just kept scanning the place. Then his eyes locked on me, hard as stone.

“Who’s been here?” he asked, his voice sharp as a blade.

“What?” I blinked, stunned. “No one’s been here, Jake. It’s just me.”

He tilted his head toward the bedroom. “Then why does it smell like cologne in there?”

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

I laughed, but it came out too light, too nervous. “Cologne? What are you talking about?”

“You tell me,” he shot back, stepping past me toward the bedroom. “Smells like a man’s been in here.”

I stared after him, frowning. “Maybe it’s something from outside,” I offered. “Maybe it’s… I don’t know. The windows were open all day yesterday.”

A woman shrugging | Source: Midjourney

A woman shrugging | Source: Midjourney

My phone buzzed then. It was a text from a colleague letting me know the boss was looking for me.

“I’ve got to rush,” I called out. “I’m already running late and now Mrs. Thompson is asking for me! See you later, babe!”

I hurried out the door. Work was crazy that day, and I couldn’t wait to get home to Jake. I’d missed him so much while he was away. But when I got home that night, I knew something was wrong.

Apartment corridor | Source: Pexels

Apartment corridor | Source: Pexels

My key didn’t fit. I yanked it out, checked it, and tried again, but it was useless. I peered at the doorknob like a fool, and that’s when it hit me: Jake had changed the locks.

I banged on the door and called for Jake, but he didn’t reply. So I called his phone. It rang once before going straight to voicemail. I called again. Same thing. Texts went unanswered, too.

I sat on the stairs of our apartment complex, head in my hands, feeling too stunned to cry. I thought about calling the landlord, but what would I even say?

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

I had nowhere else to go, so I went to my mom’s place. She was shocked to see me, and just as confused as I was when I tried to explain why I was there.

“Why don’t you try calling Jake’s brother?” she suggested, placing a cup of tea in front of me. “Those two are so close… if anyone can help you figure out what’s going on, it’s Nick.”

“You’re right,” I muttered, wiping my eyes.

Tears in a woman's eye | Source: Pexels

Tears in a woman’s eye | Source: Pexels

I stepped into the living room with my tea and called Nick. He picked up on the third ring.

“Hey,” I said, breathless. “Have you talked to Jake?”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “He doesn’t want to talk to you.”

I stood up, gripping the phone tighter. “What? What are you talking about?”

A stunned woman | Source: Midjourney

A stunned woman | Source: Midjourney

“Look, Sarah,” he sighed like he was tired of me already. “He knows what you did. You should just own it.”

I pressed my hand to my mouth. “Are you serious right now?” I whispered. “What are you even talking about, Nick?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

He hung up.

A cell phone | Source: Pexels

A cell phone | Source: Pexels

I immediately texted Jake again, demanding to know why he was mad at me. This time, he replied.

“You cheated on me while I was looking after Mom. Our apartment stinks of your lover’s cologne! How dare you bring another man into our bed?”

I couldn’t believe what I was reading, but it didn’t stop there.

A woman staring at her cell phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman staring at her cell phone | Source: Midjourney

Another text arrived from Jake.

“Our marriage is over! I’ve told my whole family what you’ve done…”

Tears flooded my eyes as I read all the cruel names he called me after that. Jake and I had been together for five years… how could he think I’d be unfaithful to him only two weeks into our marriage?

An emotional woman | Source: Midjourney

An emotional woman | Source: Midjourney

More texts arrived in quick succession, but these were from Jake’s mom.

“Return the ring. It’s not yours anymore. It was $19,000, and we’re not letting you walk away with it.”

My breath caught in my throat. I sat up straighter, staring at my screen in shock.

“Jake is meeting with a lawyer tomorrow. An annulment can be done quickly since it’s only been 2 weeks.”

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Midjourney

An annulment? Before I could finish processing that, the next text arrived.

“We’ll be sending your things soon. Tell us if you’d rather have them dropped off or shipped.”

My fingers curled into the blanket on my lap, gripping it like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. I kept reading the messages until I finally turned off my phone.

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Pexels

A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Pexels

I sat there, staring at the little gold band on my finger, wondering how we got here. Two weeks ago, we were untouchable.

I didn’t sleep that night. My mind wouldn’t stop spinning. By 2 a.m., I was replaying every little detail, looking for a clue.

And then it hit me: the wipes.

A woman holding wipes | Source: Pexels

A woman holding wipes | Source: Pexels

The smell in our apartment wasn’t cologne. It was the lemon-cedarwood wipes I’d taped behind the fan in our bedroom. I’d done it on purpose after cooking fish for dinner — Jake hated the smell of fish.

My heart started pounding so hard it felt like it might break my ribs. I grabbed my phone and texted him.

“Check behind the fan. Look in the bathroom trash for the packaging. It’s the wipes, Jake. It’s not cologne. It’s not a man. It’s the wipes.”

A woman texting | Source: Midjourney

A woman texting | Source: Midjourney

Then I waited.

The next morning, I was sitting with my mom at the kitchen table, trying to act like I hadn’t just experienced the emotional collapse of my life. My coffee was cold, and I didn’t care. My phone buzzed.

Jake.

I looked up at my mom, and she nodded. “Go on, baby.”

A mature woman | Source: Midjourney

A mature woman | Source: Midjourney

I walked to the door. Through the window, I saw him standing there. Shoulders slouched. His eyes were red. His hands shook as he wiped at his face.

He knocked once. Just once.

I opened the door but didn’t say anything. I just watched him.

“Sarah,” he choked out, his face crumpling. “I’m so sorry.”

A man standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney

A man standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney

I folded my arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Are you?”

“It was a mistake,” he said, voice cracking. “I-I let my head get… I wasn’t thinking. I just—” He looked up at me, eyes wild. “Please come home.”

My breath hitched, and before I knew it, I was stepping forward, arms wrapping around him. His warmth crashed into me, his breath shaky against my hair. Relief poured out of him in a broken sob, and for a moment, I let myself believe it was going to be okay.

A couple hugging | Source: Midjourney

A couple hugging | Source: Midjourney

I went home with Jake that evening, but I couldn’t get over what had happened. I couldn’t stop thinking about the lock change, the cruel texts, and Jake’s mom demanding my ring back like I was a thief.

The names Jake had called me circled my thoughts. One little misunderstanding was all it had taken for him and all his family to turn on me. We’d known each other for five years… we were supposed to be family.

The next night, I packed my things.

Suitcases on a bed | Source: Pexels

Suitcases on a bed | Source: Pexels

I carried my suitcase out into the living room, where Jake was watching TV.

“I’ve been thinking…” I started, leaning over to switch off the TV as I spoke, “about how quick you were to believe I was cheating on you, how you refused to talk things through with me, how easy it was for you to throw me out like trash.”

“Baby, I said I’m sorry.” He stared at me like he couldn’t believe this still bothered me.

A man on a sofa | Source: Midjourney

A man on a sofa | Source: Midjourney

“I know, but saying sorry doesn’t mean we aren’t broken, Jake.”

“I’ll make it right, I swear! I love you.”

I shook my head, slow and steady. “Love doesn’t change the locks on me. Love doesn’t end with a text.”

His face twisted with regret. “Please.”

A sad man | Source: Midjourney

A sad man | Source: Midjourney

“I’m going back to my mom’s,” I said, grabbing my suitcase and heading for the door. “I need space.”

“Sarah, please!”

But I shut the door.

For the next week, he sent me long, heartbroken texts. Pages of apologies. I read them all. I didn’t reply.

A woman frowning at her phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman frowning at her phone | Source: Midjourney

I lay awake at night, thinking about it. If someone else told me this story, I’d laugh at how stupid it sounded. He thought it was cologne. It was lemon wipes. But I didn’t laugh. It wasn’t funny.

Two weeks into marriage, and I’d already learned this much: People who love you don’t turn on you that fast.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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