In a disturbing incident, a 14-year-old girl was reportedly exchanged by her parents for €5,000, five bottles of whiskey, and food to another couple in Catalonia, Spain. The authorities were alerted when the teenager was found begging outside a local supermarket in western Catalonia.
Law enforcement officials have arrested five individuals, including the teen’s parents, the couple who allegedly bought her, and their 20-year-old son who purportedly married the girl. The arrests were made on suspicion of human trafficking, with three of the suspects prohibited from contacting the young girl.
The minor was said to have been under the control of the family who bought her and was forced into a marriage without her consent. She was also prevented from attending school and was coerced into begging for money to benefit the family.
The suspects have been released from custody pending further investigation. Although the victim has chosen to return to her family, reports indicate that she does not view herself as a victim of the crime.
This incident echoes a recent case in South Africa where a mother was sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping and trafficking her own six-year-old child. The child, Joshlin Smith, was allegedly sold to a traditional healer for body parts following her disappearance, leading to a nationwide search effort. Witnesses revealed that the mother had discussed selling her children and had arranged for the young girl to be given to a healer who sought her “eyes and skin.”
