TEMPO.CO, Bogota - A mother from Colombia has been apprehended for selling her 12 young daughters' virginity for just $200 each, police said. Margarita de Jesus Zapata Moreno (45) was detained in Bogota earlier this week after one of her girls, now 16 and pregnant, contacted the police.
The teen was reportedly angry after her mother ordered her to abort the child. Tito Cornelio Daza (51), allegedly the baby's father, was also arrested.
Moreno, who has a total of 14 children, would sell their virginities once they turned 12 years old. She would then allegedly force them to prostitute themselves to pay the bills.
"The mother contacted highly solvent but depraved men so they could have sex with the minors when they turned 12," Police Chief Carlos Melendez investigating the case told reporters.
Moreno's two children not subjected to the sex work, a boy of 11 and a girl of 9, are reportedly in the care of social services.
Moreno, who has denied the allegations, faces 10 years in prison if convicted.
NY DAILY NEWS | ANINGTIAS JATMIKA
