A Texas mother has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for marrying her 13-year-old daughter to a 47-year-old man. WKBN-TV reports that the mother, named Cherry P., is also suspected of sexually abusing the teenager.
A visit to the doctor’s office led to authorities getting wind of the marriage between the 13-year-old girl and the 47-year-old man. Court documents show that the girl told the doctor that she was sexually active with “her husband,” who was 34 years her senior. Cherry P. was present during the visit and told the doctor that she agreed to the marriage because of “the family’s religious beliefs.”
The victim had been “married” to the man for at least a year before their marriage came to light. According to WKBN-TV, indications of sexual abuse by the mother herself have also come to light during the court process.
ICYMI: A woman was convicted in a Fort Bend County court for allowing her 13-year-old daughter to endure sexual abuse by a 47-year-old man as “a normal part of their religious beliefs.” https://t.co/JShgRAnNGD
— KGET 17 News (@KGETnews) May 14, 2022
“Although the young victim, in this case, was repeatedly abandoned by her mother, she was supported by a strong support team throughout the trial,” prosecutor Jessica Ramos told media. “We are grateful to her adoptive mother, her lawyer, and the child protection officers who assisted the child during the trial.”
Normally, a person must be 18 years old to legally marry in Texas. However, there are a number of exceptions that allow minors to get married at 16. The state makes no exceptions for teens as young as 13 years old.
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