August 12, 2023, 01:37 PM
Kevin, 16, and Mariana, 41, got married on Jul. 30, but the couple were forced to separate after four days, according to the Indonesian online news site TribunNews.
Getting married
Mariana has known Kevin since he was a little kid, adding that he regularly goes to her shop in a village in West Kalimantan, Indonesia to buy snacks.
She's has also been a good friend of his mother, 37-year-old Lisa, for more than two years and lives just a few houses away from them.
Lisa said that Kevin was very happy to marry Mariana who is 25 years older than him. She reportedly shared this picture of the couple holding hands:
Image via Chien Bong/FB.
Lisa denied rumours that she married her son off just because of Mariana's wealth, reported TribunNews.
She said to the media that Kevin had agreed to the marriage.
Image via Lisa Tbbr/FB.
Forced to separate
However, four days after their marriage, they were forced to separate, reported TribunNews.
Their love story went viral, leading to comments from the public as well as the involvement of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) in West Kalimantan.
Social services told the couple that they have to sleep in separate beds until the boy turns 19, which is the age that boys (and girls) can get married with parental permission in Indonesia.
In Indonesia, the age of marriage for both women and men without parental permission is 21.
These made Lisa, Kevin's mother, ask her son to file for a divorce, even though she had initially given them her blessings.
Lisa, Kevin's mother. Screengrab from Tribun Pontianak Interaktif/FB.
A KPAI representative, R Hoesnan who had been following the couple's story, asked the police to take firm action against Mariana.
KPAI told TribunNews that Mariana and Kevin's marriage should not have happened as he's under the age of 18.
Top images via ndorobei.official/IG and Chien Bong/FB.
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.