11-Year-Old Girl Gives Birth in Bathtub; Three Relatives Face Multiple Charges

An 11-year-old Missouri girl gave birth in a bathtub earlier this month after allegedly being raped by a teenage boy. Three of her family members are facing multiple criminal charges.

The three family members, all living in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, are charged for the following: a man and a woman (Lesbia Cante, 35) are each charged with child endangerment; a teenage boy (Norvin L. Lopez-Cante, 17) faces charges of incest, statutory rape, and statutory sodomy of a child younger than 12. Lopez-Cante admitted sexually assaulting the girl approximately 100 times but said he did not know she was pregnant.

Cante is also accused of failing to provide medical care to the child upon giving birth.

A report by St. Louis Post-Dispatch said that the newborn was brought to St. Joseph's Medical Center for treatment about an hour later. According to Fox News, “It was still attached to the umbilical cord and placenta with a body temperature of 90 degrees, which prompted the police to open an investigation.”

Cante and Lopez-Cante were ordered to remain in custody on $10,000 and $25,000 bonds, respectively. Bail for the man was set at $10,000, cash only.