When they were catapulted into the spotlight, they were still children.
However, in the intervening years, what has become of the youngest parents in Britain?
This week, we disclosed that Tressa Middleton, the youngest mother in Britain, is currently expecting her fourth child, having given birth at the age of twelve.
Former Britain’s youngest mum Tressa Middleton with her daughter in 2006
A photo of a baby ultrasound that the 29-year-old Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland resident posted on Facebook was taken 17 years after her first pregnancy made headlines around the country.
She exclaimed, “So guys, it’s another girl!!” in the post. Four girls, I can’t believe it. Good luck, Darren.”
We relive Tressa’s heartbreaking tragedy and what happened to the other youngest parents in Britain as the expectant mother reveals her good news.
Horrific attack
When Tressa’s pregnancy was made public at the age of 11, it was thought to be the consequence of an incident involving alcohol.
Born from a chaotic household with a mother struggling with addiction, Tressa gave birth not long after finishing elementary school.
Two years after she gave birth, the young mother battled depression and alcohol and cigarette addictions, which resulted in her child being taken from her custody and placed for adoption.
The father’s identity was kept a secret until 2009, when the young mother broke down and told authorities that her elder brother Jason had s******y assaulted her.
The 34-year-old Jason was found guilty of s******y abusing the woman starting when she was seven years old and was sentenced to four years in prison in 2009. This was all due to DNA evidence.
Tressa stated to the Daily Mail in 2011 that “sometimes he blackmailed or bribed me to do it.”
“He’d say he was going to tell Mum. He’d give me things – joints, drink, cigarettes. Or he’d threaten me.”
Since then, Tressa has battled to put her life back together and overcome her addiction to heroin, which cost her £400 every day.
She and her partner, Darren Young, are currently expecting their third child.
UK’s most recent youngest mum
For fifteen years, Tressa was the youngest mother in Britain. However, in 2021, an 11-year-old was believed to have given birth, according to The Sun.
At the age of ten, the girl—who remained anonymous for legal reasons—was s*****y assaulted.
Her family was unaware of the horrifying attack, and social services looked into the matter at the time.
“It has come as a big shock,” a family friend said in 2021 to The Sun.
“She’s now being surrounded by expert help. The main thing is that she and the baby are OK.”
Father with a baby face
The story went viral when it was announced that 13-year-old Alfie Patten was going to become a father.
Even the prime minister at the time, David Cameron, offered his thoughts on the 2009 case, in which it was alleged that the father had fathered a child before reaching the legal age to buy party poppers.