Under-age parents Alfie and Chantelle and their baby will ALL take DNA tests to find our who's the father

Under-age parents Alfie and Chantelle and their baby will ALL take DNA tests to find our who's the father

By Julie Moult, Caroline Grant, Debra Killalea and Rebecca Camber
Last updated at 7:23 AM on 17th February 2009

Underage parents Chantelle Stedman and Alfie Patten and their week-old baby could face DNA tests to determine who the father really is, it has emerged.

Alfie, who was just 12 when Maisie Roxanne was conceived, said he wants a definitive answer to put his mind at rest after allegations surfaced that at least two other teenagers could be the baby's father.

Both Richard Goodsell, 16, and 14-year-old Tyler Barker who live close to the Stedmans in Eastbourne, East Sussex, have claimed paternity.


Eye of the storm: Alfie Patten, now 13, cradles Maisie

It also been suggested that there are another six potential fathers - although Chantelle, 15, is said to be distraught at the allegations.

As Alfie, 13, and Chantelle are both under 18, their parents must give consent to their children being DNA tested.

Penny and Steve Stedman and Nicola and Dennis Patten are thought to be keen to discover the truth.

They have asked social services to help to determine the paternity.

The test, which is 99.9 per cent accurate, will be carried out on saliva samples from all three. The results should be known within a week.

Alfie's spokesman, Max Clifford, said last night: 'They are planning to do a DNA test.

'Alfie believed he was the father but due to reports in the News of the World at the weekend, he wants to make sure by having a DNA test as soon as possible.'

Trainee chef Richard has said he had sex at least three times with Chantelle around the time she became pregnant.

'I know I could be the father, he said. 'Everyone thinks I am. My friends all tell me that baby has my eyes - even my mum thinks so.'

Meanwhile, Tyler said: 'I slept with Chantelle about nine months ago and I'm really worried I could be the father. I hope it's not me. All my mates have been teasing me about it but this isn't funny, it's serious.'

East Sussex County Council said it was not involved in plans to test the children, but that supervision of both families will intensify.

It issued a statement responding to criticism that the authority had not been sufficiently involved with the children and Maisie, since her birth last week.

Matt Dunkley, director of children's services, said: 'It is completely wrong to suggest social workers are doing nothing to support the families and young people involved in this case.

'In cases like this it is normal practice to assess the needs of the parents and the unborn child before the birth and to revisit those assessments once the child has been born.


Alfie Patten makes a rude gesture as he is pictured leaving his family home


Father figure? Tyler Barker, 14 (right), and Richard Goodsell, 16 (left), both say they could be Maisie's father

'In this case a package of support was agreed before the birth including enhanced involvement from health visitors and family outreach workers.'

Social workers and health visitors were due to visit both families again to carry out further assessments of the three children, he added.

'These will further examine issues such as the parenting of Maisie and the support from the wider family, the education of these young parents, and other issues, including the impact of the huge amount of public interest.

'For each of the young people concerned we will provide the necessary support identified.'

Chantelle gave birth to baby Maisie Roxanne last Monday and both families are being accused of trying to cash in.

Alfie's father has instructed PR guru Clifford to broker deals on his son's behalf - he is already being tailed by a TV documentary team - while Chantelle and her newborn daughter spent much of the weekend with a newspaper.

Clifford's appointment comes amid growing speculation over how much money Alfie and his family would make by selling their story.

Both the Pattens and the Stedmans have been accused of courting the media with rumours of newspaper and TV deals worth thousands of pounds.

Yesterday there were farcical scenes at the home Alfie shares with his mother Nicola in Hailsham, East Sussex, when his estranged father Dennis Patten arrived.


Unmasked: Alfie with father Dennis

The father-of-nine vehicle fitter was wearing a devil mask and carrying a fluorescent yellow placard saying 'No comment. Call Max' - a reference to publicist Mr Clifford.

A TV crew from Channel 4's Cutting Edge team followed close behind.

Clifford said reported claims that they would make 'millions' were greatly exaggerated and that the figure was more likely to be in 'the thousands.'

He confirmed a deal had been made with The People and Channel 4 on Sunday but could not say how much either was worth.

One source said the Channel 4 documentary would earn the family about £50,000, but Clifford said the real figure was 'much below that'.

He added that the documentary would provide 'a realistic insight into a major issue of our time'.

Asked how the 13-year-old was handling life as a father he said: 'It hasn't really hit him yet, he's still a boy himself - he's still trying to come to terms with everything.'

Publicist Phil Hall agreed the family were unlikely to gain millions from selling their story - unless it had a happy ending.

He said a lot of the media are becoming wary of paying huge amounts for the story when there was public concern about where the money was going.

'If by some miracle he (Alfie) becomes an incredible father, then he has the potential to earn a lot of money - but the story has to have a happy ending,' he said.

He also said one TV company had made a bid for £80,000 but that most media would choose to refrain from paying for the story 'on moral grounds'.

The comments come as the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) confirmed it had launched an inquiry into payments by The Sun and the People newspapers to Alfie's parents.

Announcing the inquiry, a PCC spokesman quoted clause 6(iv) of the Editors' Code of Practice which says: 'Minors must not be paid for material involving children's welfare, nor parents or guardians for material about their children or wards, unless it is clearly in the child's interests.'


Similar: Baby Alfie at four months old and little Maisie Roxanne

The PCC statement said: 'Newspapers are allowed to breach this rule if there is a demonstrable public interest.

'The PCC will make a public ruling on the matter when it has completed its investigation.

'The commission has powers - under which it is conducting this inquiry - to launch investigations of its own volition."

Meanwhile it emerged that Alfie's mother Nicola is due to appear in court next week for failing to ensure the teenager attends school.

The charge relates to a five-month period last year when he failed to attend regularly Willingdon Community School.

The council started court proceedings against Mrs Patten, 43, under the Education Act and as a result she could be fined.

A source close to the school said: 'We don't see Alfie at school that often. He plays truant a lot.'

Chantelle, her baby, her parents and five brothers and sisters fled from their council house in Eastbourne yesterday.

A neighbour said the family had 'done a bunk' under cover of darkness.

Alfie, at home with his mother, kept in contact with Chantelle by phone.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1146072/Under-age-parents-Alfie-Chantelle-baby-ALL-DNA-tests-whos-father.html