The most disastrous wedding ever? Groom, 40, flees ceremony with his new bride, 18, as 17-year-old girl screams at him that he is the father of her child AND her unborn baby 

  • Rosa Esperanza Reyes, 17, was hoping to stop the wedding of her former lover
  • She said that the 40-year-old groom was the father of her child and unborn baby
  • The teenager claimed he had even stayed with her the night before the wedding
  • In Nicaragua, the age of consent is 18, which means he could face sex charges 

By Gareth Davies For Mailonline

Published: 08:22 EST, 6 February 2017 | Updated: 09:00 EST, 6 February 2017

A groom fled his wedding with his new bride as a 17-year-old girl screamed at him saying that he was the father of her child and her unborn baby in what is being dubbed the most disastrous ceremony ever.  

Rosa Esperanza Reyes, 17, was hoping to stop the man marrying 18-year-old Rita Elena Lopez at a church in the city of Masaya, in the western Nicaraguan region of the same name.

Holding her baby, Reyes told authorities the man was the father of the child in her arms and the unborn one inside her, and that he had even stayed with her the night before the wedding.

The groom, right, escapes the ceremony with his wife, a woman believed to be his mother-in-law (left) and a young relative 

The groom, right, escapes the ceremony with his wife, a woman believed to be his mother-in-law (left) and a young relative 

Rosa Esperanza Reyes with her child, who she claims was fathered by the groom

Rosa Esperanza Reyes with her child, who she claims was fathered by the groom

Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, with her child is surrounded by a crowd and the police

Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, with her child is surrounded by a crowd and the police

She said: 'I am his wife, I have his son and I am pregnant. I am only 17 years old. 

'I am here to stop the wedding, do you know why?

'Because I am pregnant and I want to avoid the wedding so that neither I nor the bride will be with this man.'

According to local media, the pair had a relationship for three years and is currently six months pregnant.

Although too late to stop the ceremony going ahead, a video shows that Rosa Esperanza Reyes did manage to cause a scene outside the church which resulted in the police being called. 

The video shows the man and his new bride leaving in a taxi, together with a lady who looks like the groom's new mother-in-law and a young female relative.

Edwin Roman, the priest who married the couple, said: 'Apparently, the bride already knew that her boyfriend had another girlfriend so she was not surprised over the scandal outside the church.'

A police officer helps Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, and her child into the back of a police car

A police officer helps Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, and her child into the back of a police car

Rosa Esperanza Reyes, left, attempted to postpone the wedding, claiming the groom was the father of her child and unborn baby

Rosa Esperanza Reyes, left, attempted to postpone the wedding, claiming the groom was the father of her child and unborn baby

The incident has caused outrage in Nicaragua, where the age of sexual consent is 18.

Lawyer Manuel de Jesus Chavez said the man could face two to four years in prison if found guilty of sex with a minor aged 14 to 18.

Prosecutors say they are waiting for Rosa Esperanza to report the case officially so that they can charge the groom.

Elia Palacios, president of Women Against Violence, said: 'This is a crime. It has to be seen as a crime and the first thing we should do is to find the man, arrest him and judge him for the crime of raping a minor.'

Comments (0)

Share what you think

No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now