GOOD REASON WHY WE WOULD HAVE
A 14 YEAR OLD OR 15 YEAR OLD
ENTER INTO A MARRIAGE
MARRIAGE
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BRIAN:..TARGET 8 HAS UNCOVERED
ADULTS IN MICHIGAN ARE
MARRYING CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS
á14.AND -- IT'S PERFECTLY
LEGAL.
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MARLEE:..FEW PEOPLE KNOW
BECAUSE THE STATE HIDES THE
MARRIAGE DOCUMENTS... SEALING
THEM FROM THE PUBLIC. TONIGHT,
OURTAGET 8 INVESTIGATION IS
EXPOSING THESE SECRET
MARRIAGES.
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BRIAN:..TARGET 8 INVESTIGATOR
HEATHER WALKER IS SPEAKING
WITH A WEST MICHIGAN WOMAN,
MARRIED AT 14, TO GIVE US A
LOOK INTO THE LIFE -- OF A
CHILD BRIDE.
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HEATHER:..HER STORY IS ONE OF
MANY. SOMETIMES HUNDREDS A
YEAR IN MICHIGAN ALONE. NOW
ALMOST 40 -- SHE AGREED FOR
THE áFIRST TIME TO SHARE HOW A
DECISON ááMADE FOR HER DECADES
AGO - STILL IMPACTS HER LIFE
TODAY.
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(((HERE COMES THE BRIDE)))
GIRLS DREAM ABOUT THEIR
WEDDING DAY / PLANNING EVERY
DETAIL / FROM THE DIAMOND
RING/ TO THE PERFECT DRESS /
HER "I DO" WAS DIFFERENT."WE
WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE. IT
TOOK FIVE MINUTES. I THINK WE
KISSED OR SOMETHING AND THAT
WAS IT."SECRETS 3:55 "IT'S
CALLED A SECRET MARRIAGE?"TAKE
TIME TO COME TO LIGHT.IT TOOK
MONTHS OF GATHERING
INFORMATION, (((NAT)))
INTERVIEWS, 16:01 "HAVING
CHILD BRIDES THAT BOTHERS ME."
--- AND FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS.
(((INTERTWINED IN MONTAGE))
16:25:21 "I WAS LIKE MONTAGE))
(((INTERTWINED IN MONTAGE))
16:25:21 "I WAS LIKE I'M TOO
YOUNG. I'M NOT READY FOR THIS.
["ANN" // CHILD BRIDE, MARRIED
AT 14] "WHAT DO YOU WANT
PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT CHILD
MARRIAGES.?" "IT SETS PEOPLE
UP TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF"
(((-- AIRPLANE - AIRPORT -
WORKING ON THE PLANE -- PALM
TREES OCEAN ( A SUMMARY OF ALL
OF OUR STORY VIDEO)))WE
LEARNED THESE SECRET MARRIAGES
HAPPEN QUICKLY.16:19:43 "WE
WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE AND IT
TOOK FIVE MINUTES."(((NAT)))
OUR TEAM TRAVELED TO FLORIDA
TO TALK TO A CHILD BRIDE WE'LL
CALL ANN. SHE WANTS TO HIDE
HER IDENTITY FOR HER FAMILY'S
PROTECTION. WE ARE ALSO NOT
NAMING HER HUSBAND. HOWEVER
SHE IS SHARING PHOTOS FROM HER
TEENS, TO GIVE US A LOOK AT
THE LIFE OF A CHILD BRIDE.
(((TRANSITION VIDEO TO THE
TOWN))) BACK IN 1995 --- SHE
WAS LIVING IN --- VESTABURG. A
SMALL MONTCALM COUNTY TOWN,
WHEN SHE MET THE YOUNG MAN SHE
WOULD MARRY. 16:28:11 "I WAS
SMITTEN AS SOON AS I SAW HIM."
SHE WAS 13. IT STARTED OUT
INNOCENT. BUT ABOUT A YEAR
LATER, WHEN HER BOYFRIEND
TURNED 18 -- HER DAD --
UNHAPPY WITH THE
RELATIONSHIP-WAS THREATENING
JAIL. 16:22:06 "MY DAD LOOKED
IT UP AND FIGURED OUT IT WOULD
BE STATUTORY RAPE BECAUSE I
WAS SO YOUNG."BECAUSE I WAS SO
STATUTORY RAPE BECAUSE I WAS
SO YOUNG."ANNE SAYS HER
BOYFRIEND WAS SUICIDAL. ááá
16:24:35 "WHY DID SUICIDAL.
ááá 16:24:35 "WHY DID YOU GET
MARRIED AT 14?" "I DON'T KNOW,
LIKE BECAUSE THEY WANTED ME TO
I GUESS. I LOVED HIM I DIDN'T
WANT HIM TO DIE, MY MOM WANTED
ME TO GET MARRIED." 16:24:50
"YOU FELT PRESSURED?" "YEAH, A
LOT" "DID YOU WANT PRESSURED?"
"YEAH, A LOT" "DID YOU WANT TO
GET MARRIED?" "NOT THE DAY
BEFORE THAT'S FOR SURE."BEFORE
THAT'S FOR "NOT THE DAY TO GET
MARRIED?" "NOT THE DAY BEFORE
THAT'S FOR SURE."SHE SAYS HER
BOYFRIEND, STAYED UP ALL NIGHT
-- CONVINCING HER TO MARRY
HIM- THE NEXT DAY. (((PICTURE
NAT POP))) DRESSED IN JEANS
AND A T-SHIRT SHE WENT TO THE
COURTHOUSE AND SAID I DO. NO
RING, NO FLOWERS - NO
QUESTIONS ASKED. 16:20:57 "NO
ONE SAID, ARE YOU SURE YOU
WANT TO DO THIS?" "NO, NOT AT
ALL. THEY SHOULD HAVE." THE
ONLY REQUIREMENT -- A PARENT'S
SIGNATURE.ááá16:20:36 "JUST
ONE PARENT HAD TO SIGN?"
"YEAH, AND THEY ACTUALLY GAVE
US THE PAPER TO TAKE IT HOME
TO SIGN, LIKE IT WAS A
PERMISSION SLIP. YOU KNOW TO
GO ON A FIELD TRIP. THAT'S IT."
(((GRAPHIC)). UNDER MICHIGAN
LAW YOU HAVE TO BE 18 TO
CONSENT TO MARRIAGE. 16- 17
YOU NEED PARENTAL CONSENT.
UNDER 16 A PARENT'S AND A
JUDGES APPROVAL.[HON. MILTON
MACK JR. // STATE COURT
ADMINISTRATOR] 12:59 "SO IF A
JUDGE SAYS YES YOU CAN
POTENTIALLY GET MARRIED AT ANY
AGE. THERE IS NO LIMIT"
"CORRECT."CHILD MARRIAGES LIKE
ANN'S HAPPEN EVERY YEAR...
(((ATTRIBUTE TO STATE RECORDS
ON THE SCREEN))) IN 2000 --
THERE WERE 537 IN MICHIGANTHE
MOST RECENT NUMBERS AVAILABLE
-- FROM 2014 -- SHOW 116 CHILD
MARRIAGES.THE MAJORITY -- 84-
PERCENT -- WERE GIRLS MARRYING
ADULT MEN. (((NAT OF
COURTHOUSE DOOR OPENING))))
WHEN WE FIRST TRIED TO PULL
THE RECORDS -- FOR ANN'S
MARRIAGE. WE FOUND OUT HOW THE
SECRET IS SO WELL KEPT. 3:52
"WAS SHE 18 OR HE? " "NO SHE
WAS 14." "THAT WOULD BE
CONSIDERED A SECRET MARRIAGE
AND I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE
PUBLIC." "IT'S CALLED A SECRET
MARRIAGE?!"THE RECORDS ARE
SEALED... THE STATE HIDES
THEIR IDENTITIES.. EVEN áWITH
ANN AND HER HUSBAND'S NAME, WE
COULDN'T GET A COPY OF THEIR
MARRIAGE LICENSE. ONLY THE
HUSBAND AND WIFE CAN UNSEAL
THE RECORD IN PERSON. AT 14
ANN WAS LOCKED INTO A MARRIAGE.
PULLED OUT OF SCHOOL AND STUCK
AT HOME WITH WHAT SHE CALLS
"WIFELY DUTIES". ááá (((CRYING
)))) 16:46:34 "I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO COOK AND HE WANTED ME
TO BE A CERTAIN WAY AND I
COULDN'T." "YOU WERE SUPPOSED
TO BE THE PERFECT HOUSEWIFE AT
14." "YEAH (CRYING") "AND I
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BE" "AND
YOU WERE PUNISHED FOR THAT?"
"OH, YEAH. HE WAS VERY
PARTICULAR. HIS SOCKS HAD TO
BE FOLDED A CERTAIN WAY. HIS
EVERYTHING HAD TO BE JUST SO."
16:38:31 "IF HE WAS MAD AND I
BUMPED INTO HIM, HE MIGHT
PUNCH ME OR SOMETHING." ANN,
SAYS THE SOMETHING." PUNCH ME
OR INTO HIM, HE MIGHT MAD AND
I BUMPED INTO HIM, HE MIGHT
PUNCH ME OR SOMETHING." ANN,
SAYS THE MARRIAGE WAS BAD FROM
THE BEGINNING16:56:04 "DID HE
EVER THREATEN TO KILL YOU?"
"YEAH, YEAH"MILES AWAY FROM
FAMILY AND FRIENDS - SHE SAYS
SOMETIMES SHE WOULD RUN TO A
NEIGHBORS HOME TO HIDE FOR THE
NIGHT, NEIGHBORS HOME TO HIDE
FOR THE NIGHT, UNTIL HER
HUSBAND CALMED DOWN IN THE
MORNING. SHE WAS TOO YOUNG TO
DRIVE OR HAVE A JOB. 16:41:25
"YOU NEED THE MONEY, YOU NEED
THE HELP YOU
3
NEED EVERYTHING AND YOU REALLY
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GET.
IT TOOK A FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION REQUEST TO
DISCOVER SOME TEEN GIRLS
MARRYING MEN THREE TIMES THEIR
AGE... INCLUDING A MARRIAGE
BETWEEN A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND
A 48 YEAR OLD MAN.((((SHOW THE
SUPREME COURT))) 13:34 "WHY IS
IT CALLED A SECRET MARRIAGE?"
"WELL, THIS WAS DESIGNED FOR A
SITUATION WHERE A WOMEN, CHILD
HAD GOTTEN PREGNANT AND THEY
WANTED TO LEGITIMIZE THE
CHILD."MILTON MACK IS NOW THE
STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR. BUT
HE ONCE PRESIDED OVER THESE
SECRET MARRIAGES AS A PROBATE
JUDGE. ((((MILTON MACK///
STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR))))
21:29 "JUDGES HAVE SEEN CASES
WHERE THEY COME IN AND THE
MARRIAGE IS BASICALLY TO
ABSOLVE THE OLDER MALE OF ANY
CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY."
"IT'S A LEGAL LOOPHOLE." "IT
IS"(((ANN/// CHILD BRIDE)))
áááá17:06:02 "THAT I COULD GET
MARRIED UNDER THE AGE THAT I
COULD CONSENT TO SEX. THAT
BLOWS MY MIND."THE LAW DATES
BACK TO 1897. BUT, IT'S STILL
BEING USED TODAY --- IN CASES
WHERE BRIDES LIKE ANN ARE NOT
PREGNANT. THE LAW ESTABLISHING
THE MINIMUM AGE FOR MARRIAGE -
DATES BACK EVEN FURTHER TO
1887.3:33 "WHATEVER PURPOSE
THAT ONCE HAD, IS LONG, LONG
EXPIRED. IT'S TIME TO GO."
SCIENCE SUPPORTS THAT. THE
PART OF YOUR BRAIN RESPONSIBLE
FOR DECISION-MAKING DOES NOT
FULLY DEVELOP UNTIL YOUR
TWENTIES.[ DR. MATTHEW CLARK//
CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST] 10:29
"SINCE A YOUNG PERSON
EMOTIONAL PART IS DEVELOPED
BUT NOT THEIR LOGICAL
THINKING. LOTS OF TIMES THEY
CAN BE SWAYED BY OTHER PEOPLE,
THEY CAN GET INTO WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE WANT OF THEM,
ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE IS
OLDER, MORE MATURE."
ááá16:58:13 "I WANT THE LAW TO
CHANGE." 16:58:52 "IT DOESN'T
DO ANYBODY ANY GOOD." 16:58:56
"WHAT ABOUT RELIGIOUS REASONS?
PURITY." "WELL MARRIAGE
INVOLVES SEX SO YOU AREN'T
MAKING THEM ANY MORE PURE BY
GETTING MARRIED."ANN IS STILL
MARRIED TO THE SAME MAN. SHE
SAYS HE HAS MATURED AND NOW
AGREES THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE
MARRIED SO YOUNG. BUT SHE
STILL DEALS WITH FEAR AND
SADNESS DAILY. 17:01:42
"BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT I
COULD HAVE DONE WITH LIFE, NOT
HAVING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT
CLEANING."ANN IS FINALLY
WORKING ON A COLLEGE DEGREE.
SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR HER
DAUGHTERS -- THE GIRLS THAT
INSPIRED HER TO TRY AND CHANGE
THIS LAW. áááá16:45:17 " WHEN
MY DAUGHTER TURNED 14 AND I
COULD LOOK AT HER AND GO WOW,
THAT'S NOT THE LIFE I WOULD
WANT FOR MY DAUGHTER. SHE'S A
KID, SHE SHOULD BE PLAYING AND
DOING WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO."
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HEATHER:..48 OTHER STATES
ALLOW CHILD MARRIAGES --
DELAWARE BECAME THE FIRST
STATE TO BAN IT, FOUR MONTHS
AGO.WE DID REACH OUT TO OUR
LAWMAKERS, BUT DID NOT HEAR
BACK.
3
(WRAP W/ HEATHER)
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BRIAN:..NOW TO OUR FORECAST.
NOW TO OUR BRIAN:..NOW TO OUR
BRIAN:..
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NOW TO OUR BRIAN:..
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