Two uncles convicted of raping 10-year-old niece in India
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two uncles of a 10-year-old Indian girl who gave birth to a baby in August have been convicted of her rape. (Reuters)
Two uncles in India were convicted of raping their 10-year-old niece, who sparked national headlines after seeking an abortion for the baby she conceived with one of the men.
A fast-track court case found the two uncles guilty of raping their niece, who gave birth in August, on Tuesday. One trial took a month while the other uncle was convicted in 18 days, the BBC reported.
Sentencing is set for Thursday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The harrowing case of the 10-year-old girl captured headlines both in India and around the world for several weeks.
SECOND UNCLE ARRESTED IN 10-YEAR-OLD INDIAN GIRL'S RAPE CASE
The girl’s parents discovered she was pregnant in mid-July when she complained of a stomach ache.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At 30-weeks pregnant, a local church in Chandigarh turned down her plea for an abortion, saying her pregnancy was too advanced. A doctors’ panel advised a medical termination would be “too risky.”
The Supreme Court in India also refused to allow an abortion, citing similar reasons.
The baby was eventually given to child welfare authorities and put up for adoption.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to police, the girl said she had been raped several times in the past seven months by one of her uncles, who is in his 40s.
While the man initially denied the charges, he later admitted to the allegations, police said.
INDIAN MAN ACCUSED OF RAPING 10-YEAR-OLD IS NOT HER BABY'S FATHER, TESTS SHOW
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, a DNA test last month proved he was not the baby’s father and police were forced to search for a different suspect.
In September, the man’s younger brother was arrested after the girl told police he had also abused her. DNA tests proved he was the baby’s biological father.
India’s law only allows abortions for women who are fewer than 20 weeks pregnant. Some exceptions have arisen for women who’ve said they were raped.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In May, another 10-year-old girl, who claimed her stepfather raped her, was allowed to abort her baby. In September, a 13-year-old girl who was 32 weeks pregnant was also granted an abortion.