from the San Jose Mercury News
Deal to sell daughter for beer, cash part of Mexican culture
Posted: 01/13/2009 06:55:33 PM PST
The story of the Greenfield man who allegedly sold his 14-year-old daughter to a young suitor for cash and beer went worldwide, and the police chief who ordered the arrest said Tuesday the incident arose from a clash of cultures.
The social mores in parts of rural Mexico, where arranged marriages are common for young girls, ran head-on into California law designed to protect juveniles from sexual predators.
“It’s kind of a clash of two different cultures, but I have to uphold the local law,” Greenfield Police Chief Joe Grebmeier said.
The case involves a father, Marcelino DeJesus Martinez, 36, a young male neighbor, Margarito DeJesus Galindo, 18, and Martinez’s 14-year-old daughter who Galindo sought to marry.
Police said the young man and girl spent a week together in Soledad, the girl having gone along willingly, after a marriage deal was brokered that called for Martinez to receive $16,000, 150 cases of beer, 150 cases of soda and Gatorade, and several cases of wine and meat.
Police said Martinez first reported the girl as a runaway in an apparent effort to get their help in having her returned because the young man hadn’t paid.