A 41-year-old Indonesian woman who married her friend’s 16-year-old son has been forced to separate from him just four days after they tied the knot.
Their wedding made international headlines, leading to the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) in West Kalimantan becoming involved.
Social services said that the couple, who have an age difference of 25 years, would have to sleep in separate bedrooms until the groom turns 19, the age at which teenagers can get married with parental consent in Indonesia. Getting married without parental permission, meanwhile, is only allowed from the age of 21.
This reportedly caused Lisa, Kevin’s mother, to ask her son to file for a divorce, even though she had originally supported the marriage.
A representative of the KPAI has reportedly asked the police to take firm action against Mariana, with the authorities telling local media that the wedding should not have gone ahead as Kevin is under the age of 18.
It is currently unclear what penalties she faces.
The couple were married in Indonesia’s Sambas Regency, which is the most northerly regency in West Kalimantan Province in a ceremony that took place on 30th July.
Despite the 25-year age gap between the couple, the marriage is not illegal and it went viral on social media showing the bride in an expensive gown and the schoolboy in a suit showing off their wedding rings.
In one of the images, Kevin can also be seen smoking a cigarette.
Despite scepticism online, the schoolboy’s mother Lisa, who is best friends with the bride, apparently gave the wedding her blessing. It was later revealed that the schoolboy’s mother is also four years younger than the bride, as she is aged 37.
She had wanted to help her friend out because she had become depressed when a previous engagement with a man had fallen through.
All those involved have denied that the marriage to the old woman, who is the wealthy owner of a chain of grocery stores, was about money.
Lisa said she had asked her son, who initially was surprised at the request but then had later agreed, and she insisted he had not been forced and instead had married the older woman happily.
The eventual proposal of marriage happened after a whirlwind two-month courtship.
They also published pictures taken after the wedding showing the 16-year-old with his new bride holding hands while shopping.
After the wedding, he revealed that he was going to work in a shop, and his new bride said that although he was young, marriage had already made him more mature.
