California man sells daughter for beer
Wednesday, 14 Jan 2009 11:59
A man in California allegedly sold his 14-year-old daughter in exchange for money, food and beer
A man in California allegedly sold his 14-year-old daughter in exchange for money, food and beer, local authorities claim.
Marcelino de Jesus Martinez, 36, was arrested on Monday. He faces felony charges of receiving money for causing a person to cohabitate, a police statement confirmed.
It is alleged Mr Martinez arranged for his daughter to marry an 18-year-old man in exchange for $16,000 (£11,000) 160 cases of beer, 100 cases of soda, 50 cases of Gatorade, two cases of wine, and six cases of meat, CNN reports.
Greenfield police chief Joe Grebmeier suggested the practice was not that uncommon in the western Mexican state Oaxaca, where all three of the individuals come from.
"Arranged marriages are common in several cultures, and this is not an issue among consenting adults over the age of 18," police said in a statement.
"But California has several laws regarding minors, the age of consent and human trafficking."
California authorities claim the 14-year-old girl went with the man willing but she is four years younger than the state's age of consent.