Anne Woods: A Weekend for Superheroes
Tests Show 13-Year-Old is Not a Father
Filed under: In The News
In a story that has read like something straight from Maury Povich or a bad soap opera, a DNA test has proved that Alfie Patten was not a father at 12-years-old, as was initially reported. The now 13-year-old Alfie is devastated, after taking the test and learning he is not the father of 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman's daughter Maisie, who he "adored."
The test was performed after the birth made national headlines in the UK and several other boys came forward claiming they had also slept with Chantelle. Alfie told the "Mirror" before the test that "I didn't know about DNA tests before, but mum explained it's when they do a swab in your mouth and it tells if you're the dad. So if I have it, they can all shut up."
His mother added, at the time "It had not even crossed Alfie's mind whether Chantelle had not been faithful to him. He's absolutely devastated that these lads say they slept with her."
Just days after the birth of Maisie, other potential fathers started stepping forward claiming they might be the father of the little girl, much to young Alfie's chagrin; "Other stupid boys are lying, saying bad things, like they have slept with Chantelle too. But I am the only boyfriend she has had and we've been together for two years, so I must be the dad. When she found out she was having a baby, I asked her 'Am I the dad?' and she went 'Yeah' so I believe her."
At the time, Chantelle agreed, saying Alfie was her only boyfriend.
The scandal broke over a month ago when Alfie and Chantelle spoke to the press shortly after Maisie was born, saying "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad," he said. "I will be good, though, and care for it." The age of the parents and their lack of income ruffled feathers on both sides of the pond, as when the baby-faced young man, whose voice has yet to break was asked how he plans to provide for the baby financially, he replied, "What's financially?"
Chantelle had become pregnant at the young age of 14 after she "forgot to take" birth control last May, and claimed young Alfie as the father. At the time, it was hard not to be shocked, as Chantelle's parents had allowed Alfie and Chantelle to spend nights together under their own roof. With about half of teenagers becoming sexually active before the age of 19, and television talk shows profiling teens every afternoon who don't know who the father of their child is, it seems like we need to take a good look at how we're talking to our children about sex and safety.
Hopefully Alfie, Chantelle, baby Maisie and whomever the father is, can go on from this and have some semblance of a normal life, but as this story has unfolded that seems more and more unlikely.
The test was performed after the birth made national headlines in the UK and several other boys came forward claiming they had also slept with Chantelle. Alfie told the "Mirror" before the test that "I didn't know about DNA tests before, but mum explained it's when they do a swab in your mouth and it tells if you're the dad. So if I have it, they can all shut up."
Bizarre Births
A Dad at 13?
Alfie Patten, pictured with the newborn he believed was his daughter. Baby-faced and only 4 feet (1.22 meters) tall, the schoolboy was just 12 when he thought he impregnated Chantelle Steadman, 15.
Read More
AFP/Getty Images
Not the Father
Alfie, pictured here with Chantelle and baby Maisie, took a DNA test after several other boys came forward claiming they had also slept with the young mother.
Lee Thompson, News International / ZUMA Press
Who's the Daddy?
Chantelle Steadman is pictured here with Maisie and the baby's grandmother, Penny.
Lee Thompson, News International / ZUMA Press
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His mother added, at the time "It had not even crossed Alfie's mind whether Chantelle had not been faithful to him. He's absolutely devastated that these lads say they slept with her."
Just days after the birth of Maisie, other potential fathers started stepping forward claiming they might be the father of the little girl, much to young Alfie's chagrin; "Other stupid boys are lying, saying bad things, like they have slept with Chantelle too. But I am the only boyfriend she has had and we've been together for two years, so I must be the dad. When she found out she was having a baby, I asked her 'Am I the dad?' and she went 'Yeah' so I believe her."
At the time, Chantelle agreed, saying Alfie was her only boyfriend.
The scandal broke over a month ago when Alfie and Chantelle spoke to the press shortly after Maisie was born, saying "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad," he said. "I will be good, though, and care for it." The age of the parents and their lack of income ruffled feathers on both sides of the pond, as when the baby-faced young man, whose voice has yet to break was asked how he plans to provide for the baby financially, he replied, "What's financially?"
Chantelle had become pregnant at the young age of 14 after she "forgot to take" birth control last May, and claimed young Alfie as the father. At the time, it was hard not to be shocked, as Chantelle's parents had allowed Alfie and Chantelle to spend nights together under their own roof. With about half of teenagers becoming sexually active before the age of 19, and television talk shows profiling teens every afternoon who don't know who the father of their child is, it seems like we need to take a good look at how we're talking to our children about sex and safety.
Hopefully Alfie, Chantelle, baby Maisie and whomever the father is, can go on from this and have some semblance of a normal life, but as this story has unfolded that seems more and more unlikely.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 13)
3-26-2009 @ 2:07PM
Dana said..."He's devastated?" The little dork needs a good old fashioned spanking!!
Reply
3-26-2009 @ 2:19PM
mmrs.mc said...What are you thinking? He doesn't need slapped his parents do for not educating him and her parents too for letting them sleep together.
3-26-2009 @ 3:18PM
Tammy said...i don't think he need and spanking i think he just need to understand that life is worth going and pray the he is not the father but that does not mean he have to stop see the baby because of that but the girl should find not who her baby daddy is and she need to watch what she is doing also.
I am mother of two children one is grown and just lose his babies he had twins girls and they die so they need think before they act.
3-26-2009 @ 5:21PM
Sam said...He may be a dork but she is a slut obviously. She does not even know who the baby's daddy is. That is one of the things wrong with society today. Parents want to be 'friends' instead of parents so they get what they deserve..having to raise grandchildren when they should be thinking of retiring and living a life of their own.
3-26-2009 @ 4:27PM
Audrey said...How can you say he needs a spanking. First of all hitting is not the answer to anything.(don't we teach them that at two) Second he had adults around him letting him have sex with his girlfriend. Thats all he knew so he didn't know any better. It's those adults that should be in trouble for child neglect and child endangerment. I bet they live in a trailer park. If my daughter got pregnant at 14 she would have to have an adoption. I would not be raising her kids because that is just telling her its okay and she will get pregnant again. I bet she will be announcing a pregnancy in just a few months.
3-26-2009 @ 4:29PM
javamomma56 said...Tammy, honey, what in the world are you trying to say?
3-27-2009 @ 9:26AM
Cass said...Your right. That kid needs a good old fashioned spanking. And the parents. I can't believe that the parents would let them spend then night together. Sounds like both families has a few loose screws.
3-27-2009 @ 1:16PM
savvy said...seriously? i think you need to reassess your opinions. of course he was devastated, the kid got thrown headfirst into love and fatherhood, and put his faith that this girl actually loved him. of course he's heartbroken. shame on you for saying otherwise.
3-26-2009 @ 4:38PM
Cameron said...The only people who say that spanking doesn't solve anything are the ones who were never spanked. I'll tell you, when I got a yardstick across my ass a couple times, it made me think twice about ever doing it again.
3-26-2009 @ 5:37PM
Irma said...Damn right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3-26-2009 @ 6:03PM
scoobe2 said...15yrsold and already a slut and a "mom"? that young boy should be on his knees thanking god that he no longer has to be associated with that slut and her kid and can now go back to being a boy. i am sure this girl will have a half dozen kids by the time she is of legal age. her parents should be mortified.
3-26-2009 @ 6:25PM
Jen said...That little slut. That little boy may have been very young but he loved that baby and probably would have been a better father than other older men who are dead beats.
Her parents need to get her neutered and stop letting little boys sleep in the bed with her.
3-26-2009 @ 6:58PM
John said...Tammy learn to type proper english. You sound uneducated and dumb.
I personally think that the little twerp needs to slap the #%$@ out of that girl for spreading her legs to other dudes, and get then #%$@ out of that soap opera. If he doesn't know what the word financially means than he didn't need to be paying into any child support for that little bastard. Now he can take his allowance to the candy store like a regular CHILD (or at least use it to buy a pack of condoms for the next pre-teen slut he bangs.)
3-27-2009 @ 10:10AM
Salia said...Give the little guy credit, he was willing to step up to the plate and take on the role of father, being responsible for the child financially, even if he didn't know what that meant. How many adult men do that when they are in the same position?
3-26-2009 @ 7:38PM
Alison said...I do not understand anything Tammy said.
3-26-2009 @ 7:58PM
abrella said...He is devastated!! That kid ought to be thanking god he will not be paying child support for 18 years, not to mention braces , medical expenses, and half of all other neccessities . He doesn't even know how lucky he is!!
3-26-2009 @ 8:05PM
abrella said...HE IS DEVASTATED!! He ought to thank GOD that he will not have to pay 18 years of child support, half of braces, medical expenses, and other necessities. Thus his childhood has been salvaged. Maybe his ignorant parents will explain the concept of safe sex!!
4-13-2009 @ 2:58PM
Amy said...a lot of education needs to be done here. The child (daddy) and certainly the parents. What are the parents thinking when they let the lovers (kids) sleep together? Parents need a crash course in moral values, desency, and certainly PARENTING. The kids need to be educated on safe sex and morals as well. At their age, they should be playing solftball, video games and be preocupide with teenage stuff like proms and school dances and getting their homework done on time not having sex. This boy should thank this lucky stars that he is not the father of this inicent baby girl. Someday he will look back on it and thank God.
3-26-2009 @ 2:20PM
Jason said...Who calls people a craphead? Funny how women are always so quick to say guys are the pigs. This kid was willing to stick around and be there for the kid and the girl probably slept with so many other guys she has no clue who the father is. Hope the kid is smart enough to walk away from this girl and the kid that is not his.
Reply
3-26-2009 @ 3:05PM
Success said...Jason, Jason, Jason, the are both children. He isn't a man stepping up and taking responsibility, he's a child thrilled with the seeming possiblity that he fathered a baby. He's not old enough to think things through to be responsible. And the girl is not old enough to fathom what she has done and is doing for she too is a child.