Pregnant in State care

BEFORE her sister died she expressed one wish for her daughter — that she would not become a teen mother. Her loving sibling says she tried desperately to honour that wish, eventually placing her niece in State care when she became increasingly difficult to manage at home, only to later learn that the 16-year-old had become pregnant while at Maxfield Park Children’s Home.

Heartbroken, she now feels as though she has failed both her sister and her niece. However, she said her pain has been compounded by her anger over not being provided with timely updates on matters related to her now-pregnant niece.

According to her, she was told that the teen had “consensual sex” with another ward of the State while residing at the Corporate Area children’s home. However, the teen was already about six weeks pregnant when her aunt was told of the pregnancy in July.