Girl, 14, ‘offered by mother and father to stranger for £4,000 and 5 bottles of whiskey’
The 14-year-old girl was allegedly sold by her parents to a couple who wanted to marry their son to the underage girl – five people have been arrested in connection with the crime
A 14 year old girl was allegedly flogged by her parents to a stranger for £4,000 and five bottles of whisky. Five people have been arrested in connection with the horrific crime following an alleged arrangement between the teenager’s mum and dad and another couple, who planned to wed their son to the underage girl.
The appalling crime emerged when Spanish police spotted the young girl begging outside a local supermarket in western Catalonia.
Local authorities claim that the girl’s parents agreed to flog her to the man, pocketing €5,000 (£4,418), five bottles of whisky and food from a couple in Lleida, Catalonia, in exchange.
According to The Olive Press, the Guardia Civil stated that the young teenage girl “remained under the control of the purchasing family for the purpose of consummating the forced marriage”, reports the Express.
They added that the young girl was also banned from attending school and was forced to spend her days outside begging for money, which she had to hand back to the family.
The 14 year old was first spotted by police outside a supermarket in Les Borges Blanques, Western Catalonia.
Investigators believe the minor was “sold” under a Romani cultural practice, which holds no legal standing in Spain. The teenager’s parents, both 35, the couple who are alleged to have “bought” her, aged 40 and 42, and their 20 year old son, who is believed to have wed the girl, have all been nicked.
Three of those arrested are under suspicion of human trafficking and have been instructed not to contact the girl.
As reported by CatalanNews, the individuals have since been released from prison while further investigation takes place. A source has reportedly stated that the teenager has opted to go back to her family and does not see herself as a victim of the crime.
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