Kordeza Zhelyazkova, an 11 year old girl from Bulgaria, just gave birth to her daughter, making her the world’s youngest mother.
While Kordeza and the baby are healthy and in high spirits, Jeliazko, the 19 year old father of the child, now faces six years in jail for having sex with a minor. The father says that he was fearful and really scared when he found out Kordeza was pregnant. He says they didn’t plan to have sex or a baby although he fell in love with Kordeza the moment he laid eyes on her.
He added: ‘I was walking past the school when I saw some boys mocking her and I told them to leave her alone.
‘Then she arranged to meet me and asked me out on our first date. I thought she was 15. She didn’t tell me she was 11.’
Kordeza added: ‘I didn’t want to say in case he wouldn’t fancy me.’
Their daughter was conceived within a week of their meeting.
Kordeza said: ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant until my grandmother saw I had put on weight. I just thought I’d eaten too many burgers.’
Her grandmother Dida, 55, said: ‘It’s normal for our girls to have babies young. It’s our tradition. But I didn’t want it for my Kordeza – I felt she was too young.’
The family planned a three-day Roma wedding for October 22 – so Kordeza and Jeliazko could be married before the baby was born. But Kordeza went into labour a week early, on the second day of the ceremony.
She said: ‘I had been having pain in the morning and a couple of hours into the wedding it got worse.’
She was rushed to hospital and gave birth 20 minutes later.
Kordeza said: ‘It was quite easy but painful too. I was very happy when I saw her. She has a nose like me and hair like Jeliazko.’
Both grandmothers will be guardians of baby Violeta, and Kordeza and her daughter will receive £70 a month in state benefits.
The age of consent in Bulgaria is 14.
Here’s what Kordeza had to say about being a mom:
‘It feels strange to be a mum and have a baby. I used to play with my toys but now she is my new toy. She is so beautiful, I love her. Violeta is the child and I must grow up. I am not going back to school – I am a mother now.’
The age of consent is 14? I find that quite pitiful. Having sex and being a mum when you are supposed to be a child. Really sad!
Kordeza and her child have a really long road ahead of them. I only hope they find good people to guide them through the right path and push them to something better.
