More than eight decades after the extraordinary case of Lina Marcela Medina stunned the world, her story remains one of the most unusual and troubling medical mysteries ever recorded. In 1939, global headlines—often overshadowing even updates from the Second World War—reported that a girl living in a remote Andean community had given birth at only five years old.
Lina, born in 1933 in Ticrapo, Peru, was raised in a large family living in deep poverty. When her abdomen began to swell, neighbours speculated wildly, and her parents first sought explanations from village healers. Only after traditional remedies failed did her father take her to a hospital in Pisco, where doctors initially believed she had a tumour. Instead, they discovered she was seven months pregnant.
On 14 May 1939, at five years, seven months, and 21 days old, Lina delivered a healthy baby boy by caesarean section. The child, named Gerardo, grew up believing Lina was his sister until he reportedly learned the truth around age ten. Medical examinations later confirmed Lina had experienced extreme precocious puberty, meaning her reproductive system developed abnormally early.
A Criminal Case Without Answers
Peruvian authorities immediately opened a criminal investigation, as all available evidence indicated Lina was a victim of sexual assault. Her father was briefly detained but released due to lack of evidence. Suspicion then turned toward other relatives and a gardener who disappeared when the pregnancy became known, but no charges were ever filed. Lina never disclosed the circumstances of the pregnancy, and the perpetrator has never been identified.
Medical Verification and Global Reaction
Although some doubted the authenticity of the case, extensive medical documentation—including X-rays, clinical photographs, and independent assessments—confirmed it. The case has been acknowledged by major medical institutions, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
International interest extended beyond medicine. U.S. companies attempted to secure publicity contracts, prompting the Peruvian government to intervene. President Óscar Benavides placed Lina and her infant under state guardianship to prevent exploitation and promised ongoing financial support, which ultimately never materialised. Guardianship was later returned to her family, who continued to struggle economically.
Life After the Media Frenzy
Little is known about Lina’s personal life in the decades that followed. She reportedly moved to Lima, found work at the clinic where she had delivered her son, and supported Gerardo through school. She eventually married and had a second son in 1972, this time in adulthood. Gerardo died in 1979 at age 40 from a bone marrow illness.
Later reports suggest Lina and her husband lived for years in a low-income district of Lima. She repeatedly declined interviews, including a request from Reuters in 2002, saying she wanted no further involvement in public discussion of her case. If alive today, she would be 92 years old, though her current status remains unconfirmed.
Her second son is believed to have remained in Mexico after the family lived there temporarily before returning to Peru.
Portions of this article were curated from a report by Daily Mail UK
