Lina Medina: The tragic story of the world's youngest mother
Some of the saddest stories will make you cry, while others will make you contemplate life in a way that can be rewarding. Such stories make you more aware that no one’s experience of this world is all rainbows and sunshine. However, even though they are a reminder that everyone has to trudge through the darker aspects of existence, the story of Lina Medina is nothing short of tragic.
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Lina Medina is a Peruvian woman who rose to fame for becoming the youngest confirmed mother in history. Based on the medical assessments of her pregnancy, it is alleged that she was less than five when she got pregnant and only five years, seven months, and three weeks when she gave birth.
Lina Medina’s profile summary
| Full name | Lina Marcela Medina de Jurado |
| Nickname | Lina Medina |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 23rd September 1933 |
| Age | 89 years old as of 2023 |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Place of birth | Ticrapo, Castrovirreyna Province, Peru |
| Current residence | Ticrapo, Castrovirreyna Province, Peru |
| Nationality | Peruvian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed-race |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Mother | Victoria Losea |
| Father | Tiburelo Medina |
| Siblings | Eight |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Partner | Raul Jarudo |
| Children | Two (including Gerardo Medina) |
| Famous for | Youngest confirmed mother in history |
Early childhood
Lina Marcela Medina de Jurado was born on 23rd September 1933 in Ticrapo, Castrovirreyna Province, Peru. She is 89 years old as of 2023. Her parents are Tiburelo Medina, a silversmith, and Victoria Losea. She has eight siblings.
What happened to Lina Medina?
Lina lived a normal life until the unlikely news of her young pregnancy thrust her into the limelight. She became pregnant at the young age of five. In April 1939, Lina’s mother took her to the famous Dr Gerardo Lozada in Pisco, Peru, after noticing her daughter’s protruding tummy.
Since the family resided in the isolated village of Ticrapo, Andes, her mother believed her daughter had been taken over by evil spirits causing the unusual growth on Lina’s stomach. The doctor thought Lina had a huge abdominal tumour causing the mysterious swelling.
Lina had to undergo further assessment to ascertain the doctor’s suspicion. To his astonishment, the doctor could hear a heartbeat. Lina was pregnant. Doctor Gerardo took Lina to Lima to seek a second doctor's opinion. Surprisingly, the results were the same. The girl was in her seventh month of pregnancy at the time.
Lina's birth story
On 14th May 1939, Lina became the youngest mother in the world’s history. She was five years, seven months, and three weeks old when she gave birth to a 2.7 kg healthy baby boy. This was a new and mysterious development in the history of medicine termed a miracle.
Did Lina Medina deliver normally? The young mother gave birth through a caesarean section. Her pelvis was too fragile to sustain a normal delivery. Luckily, the process was seamless, leaving the mother and child healthy.
Lina Medina's son was christened Gerardo. He was named after Doctor Gerardo Lozada, the physician caring for the unusual case.
Rise to fame
Immediately after the successful delivery, Lina quickly became a national sensation. Further tests proved that she was suffering from a rare condition known as precocious puberty. It occurs in one out of 10,000 children who experience puberty at an unusually young age.
Studies confirmed that Lina had her first period at three. Her bust had progressively grown at four, and her body indicated signs of advanced maturity by the time she was hitting five. Her bones were growing rapidly, but her ovaries had completely grown.
Who impregnated Lina Medina?
While the news of Lina's pregnancy and birth was astonishing, people were more curious to know the identity of the newborn baby's father. Unfortunately, Lina has never disclosed the identity of her son’s father.
At first, the Peruvian authorities believed that she had been molested at some point before her fifth birthday. Therefore, her father was arrested and charged with sexual assault. However, he was released since the authorities lacked substantial evidence to validate the claims.
To this day, the identity of Gerardo Medina's father remains unknown. Lina's parents raised their daughter and her son together as siblings. Gerardo believed Lina was her elder sister until he was ten when he was told Lina was his mother.
First job and husband
Long after the birth of Gerardo Medina, the doctor who helped to deliver him continued to offer his unwavering support to the young mother. During her teenagehood, Lina was employed at Doctor Gerardo's office. She used her salary to earn some education for herself and her son.
Later, Medina married a man known as Raul Jurado, and the couple had a son in 1972. Lina's second-born baby was 33 years younger than his half-brother. What happened to Gerardo Medina? Gerardo succumbed to a bone marrow illness at 40.
Where is Lina Medina now?
As of 2023, the youngest mother's whereabouts remain unclear. Different newspapers in Peru offered thousands of dollars for the right to interview Medina, but her family declined.
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Even after her historic birth, Lina didn't receive government support. More than 20 years ago, when she was around 68 years, her husband spoke to the press about his wife, stating:
She got no help that I know about. She thinks governments never deliver.
It is alleged that she lives in a cramped house in a poor and crime-ridden district in Peru. In addition, obstetrician Jose Sandoval published a book, Mother Aged 5, where he noted:
The government condemned them to live in poverty. In any other country, they would be the objects of special care.
Lina Medina’s fast facts
- Who is Lina Medina? Lina Medina is a Peruvian woman from Ticrapo, Castrovirreyna Province, Peru.
- Who was Gerardo Medina's father? Unfortunately, the identity of Gerardo Medina’s father remains unknown to date.
- How did Gerardo Medina die? Gerardo Medina succumbed to a bone marrow illness at 40.
- Is Lina Medina still alive? Lina Medina has been away from the limelight, so it is unclear whether she is still alive.
- What is Lina Medina famous for? Lina Medina is famous for being the youngest confirmed mother in history. She was five years, seven months, and 21 days when she gave birth.
- Did Lina Medina have other children? Lina Medina had another child with her husband, Raul Jurado. He was 33 years younger than his half-brother when he was born.
- Who is Lina Medina married to? Lina Medina is married to Raul Jarudo. The duo tied the knot in the 1970s.
Lina Medina's tragic story - Wrapping up
Lina Medina became the world's youngest mother after giving birth at five years, seven months, and three weeks old. It is alleged that her precocious puberty and alleged sexual abuse led to the pregnancy. Lina's pregnancy has remained a mystery, especially in the medical sector's history.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
