An American woman has been imprisoned in the U.K. for forcing her teen daughter to conceive a child for her.
The girl, who is one of the three adopted daughters of the woman, started artificial insemination at age 13 and went through a miscarriage the following year. She successfully conceived and gave birth to a baby boy at 16, The Guardian reported.
According to the reports, the woman wanted a fourth child but couldn't fulfill her dream as she had opted for elective sterilization. When her attempt to adopt also failed, she ordered her daughter to inseminate herself with donor sperm that she had purchased online.
During the court trial, the girl revealed that she went along with her mother's plans to get her attention and love.
"Mum said to me, 'A, the only way I can have a fourth child is for you to get pregnant.' I was shocked, pretty shocked at first. And then I suddenly thought, 'Maybe if I do this then everything will be over. Mum will be happy like she was before.' And I also thought from a selfish point of view, 'If I do this . . . maybe she will love me more,'" Daily Mail quoted the girl, known as "A", telling the High Court.
Problems emerged when the mother tried separating the baby from her. The girl objected and refused to hand over her baby. Noticing the conflict between the duo, midwives alerted child protection workers. The girl later confessed the situation to a family friend.
The High Court trial also shed some light on the way the woman brought up her three daughters - they were totally isolated from the world outside. The 48-year-old woman, who is a divorcee and whose identity is yet to be revealed, later admitted committing child cruelty in the court, and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.
The girl, now 19, is in a foster home with her toddler son.
