Meet The World's Youngest Grandmother. She Is Just 23-Years-Old!

Having babies too young.

Rifca Stanescu, a Romanian Gypsy gave birth to her first child, Maria, when she was just 12-years-old. Even though she warned Maria to not do the same thing, Maria gave birth to a son, Ion, when she was just 11-years-old. Maria was ten-years-old when she left home to get married and gave birth to her baby just six months later.

Married Young

Let us tell you the whole story. Rifca was born in 1985. Just over a decade later, she married a jewelry seller named Ionel Stanescu. She was 11, and he was 13. Rifca was afraid that her father was going to make her marry another boy from their village, so the pair eloped instead.

A Lot Of Fighting

"Before that, there was a lot of fighting – once my father had even attacked my husband with a knife. He wanted him to pay 500,000 lei in compensation," Rifca recalled. "My family even took me home, but after three days I ran away again to be with him."

Watch this video to check out what The Young Turks have to say about the situation.

No One Can Separate Us

"I wanted to marry him, so I agreed, and of course, after we had spent the night together then there was no way anyone could separate us," Rifca recalled. "I had been promised to another boy’s family since I was two years old, but I didn’t want that." Just a year after the couple got married, Rifca became pregnant with their daughter Maria.

Wishing For Better

Rifca's father ended up forgiving her for eloping after she gave birth to Maria. Ionel's family ended up paying him a suitable dowry. Rifca said in an interview that she truly wished for something different for Maria and for herself.

40-Year-Old Great Grandmother

Even though Rifca warned Maria about having children so young, Rifca, who is now 31, absolutely loves her 8-year-old grandson, Ion. She says that she is happy to be a grandmother. Rifca's mother, who is also named Maria, became a great-grandmother at the age of 40. There is no comment on how she feels about that.

Tradition

"Ion is a good boy – and he is already engaged to a girl aged 8. Boys are always good to have – they don’t have to suffer as much as girls I think," Rifca added. "I did not try to stop my daughter getting married because this is the tradition, it’s what happens."

Culture

In the Romanian gypsy culture, virginity is treasured among the females. They get married off young to assure the male that they are getting wives who are pure which also allows them to get a larger dowry. As shocking as this story is, it is common practice in many other cultures around the world. I am just happy that I had the opportunity to have a real childhood instead of being married and having babies before even reaching my teen years.