When 13-year-old Alfie Patten made headlines around the world after being labeled Britain’s youngest dad, it was a life-changing moment.
He and his family couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized and his parents were being accused of being the “U. K’s worst parents”.
But then, a DNA test revealed a stunning truth.
Who is Alfie Patten?
Alfie Patten, a baby-faced schoolboy from East Sussex, was reported to have fathered a child with family friend Chantelle Steadman, in 2009.
Chantelle Steadman gave birth to a daughter, Maisie Roxanne, in 2009, at Eastbourne Hospital in East Sussex, near Alfie’s and Chantelle’s hometown.
At the time the child was conceived, Chantelle was 15 and Alfie was just 12.
The story, originally published by the British tabloid The Sun, quickly gained worldwide attention. A major reason for the story’s massive spread was Alfie Patten’s youthful appearance, with his boyish looks and unbroken voice, which contrasted sharply with the serious responsibility of fatherhood.
The Sun proudly claimed that the story set a new record for online traffic – that says a lot about how huge the story was.