Had sex with a 15-year-old when she was 22 and gave birth to a child; Minister's revelation after 36 years

REYKJAVIK (ICELAND)​: Iceland's Minister of Education and Child Welfare, Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir, has revealed that she had a child with a 15-year-old boy years ago. She resigned from her ministerial post after the revelation. The minister revealed that she had a relationship with a 15-year-old boy 36 years ago when she was 22 and that the child was born from the relationship. Ástilðis Lóva, 58, made the revelation in an interview with the Icelandic media outlet Vísir.

She said that she began a relationship with the 15-year-old boy when she was a counselor in a religious organization. The boy had come to the same organization as a refugee. The acquaintance turned into love. Lóa was 23 years old and the teenager was 16 when the child was born. It is illegal for an adult in a position of authority, such as a teacher or counsellor, to have sex with a minor under the age of 18. Under the Icelandic General Penal Code, such an offence carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Ásthildur Lóa's resignation comes after reports emerged that the child's father, her then-boyfriend, had twice tried to contact the Icelandic prime minister. Ásthildur Lóa said she would remain a member of parliament.

The incident has sparked a huge controversy in the country. The father had alleged that Lóa was not allowing him to see his son. He alleged that he had been paying child support for the child for 18 years but that his requests to see his son had been rejected.