He was 13 years old. How does he look now, after 16 years?

I. Alfie Patten: 16 Years After the Spotlight

The central question regarding how Alfie looks now, after 12 years (he would be around 25 years old as of the current time, based on the 2009 reporting), must be addressed in the context of the intense and destructive media attention that followed the events.

There are no current, widely circulated photographs showing a positive, stable life. The initial narrative you provided—that he fell into a severe melancholy, took comfort in drinking, and amassed a record of infractions—aligns with the available reports concerning his struggle to cope with the sudden loss of privacy and the emotional upheaval.

Initial Appearance (2009): Alfie was widely described as “baby-faced,” “shy,” and small for his age, reportedly looking more like eight or nine despite being 13 years old.
Life After the DNA Test: The DNA test results, which emerged in May 2009, proved that Alfie was not the father; the biological father was another 15-year-old boy from the same estate. While this brought a medical conclusion, it replaced the stress of fatherhood with the trauma of public humiliation and identity confusion. Reports from his mother indicated that the family struggled significantly to return to a normal life after the media firestorm branded him the “face of broken Britain.”
Current Situation (Update): Following the initial controversy, reports concerning Alfie’s adult life detail a persistent struggle with the notoriety. He reportedly spiraled into a depressive state and faced issues related to alcohol misuse and subsequent legal troubles, confirming the essence of your description regarding his difficulties. His current life is characterized by the ongoing, damaging legacy of the initial media attention, rather than stability.

In summary, 12 years after the event, Alfie Patten’s life appears to be sadly defined by the emotional fallout of the public scrutiny, leading to personal struggles that overshadowed his youth and transition into adulthood.

II. The Ethical Question: Young Parenthood in Society

The second question—Is having children at such a young age considered suitable or improper in society?—is a moral and sociological inquiry with clear answers rooted in public health and child welfare.

The Societal Consensus: Improper

In virtually all developed societies, especially Western nations, early adolescent and teenage parenthood is considered improper and a significant public health and social concern, not because of moral judgment on the individuals, but because of the statistically negative outcomes for both the parents and the child.

Developmental Immaturity: A 13-year-old (Alfie) and a 15-year-old (Chantelle) are developmentally immature. They lack the emotional maturity, educational foundation, professional skills, and financial independence required to provide a stable, nurturing environment for a child. A child cannot parent another child.
High Risk Factors: Teenage pregnancy is statistically associated with high rates of poverty, lower educational attainment for both parents and child, and increased risks of physical and mental health issues for the young mother and baby. The child is far more likely to experience instability and disadvantage.
The Political Storm: As referenced in the original reports, the Alfie Patten story immediately sparked a huge political storm in the UK, prompting renewed calls for better sex education and concern from leaders like David Cameron, who warned about “children having children” as a sign of social decline.

The Complexity of the Case

The Alfie Patten case highlights the complexity of the issue, which is often distorted by sensationalism:

Exploitation by Media: The young couple’s journey was followed by national television and global tabloids, which amplified the crisis and exploited the children for profit, leading to the severe melancholy and subsequent life struggles mentioned in your story. The constant media attention never gave the pair a break.
Parental Responsibility: The father’s parents’ distress and demand for the DNA test underscore the lack of clarity and responsibility in the situation. The eventual reveal that Alfie was not the father introduced further chaos and tragedy, as Alfie was “extremely distressed” to discover he was not the biological parent after months of public affirmation.

While society must offer compassion and support to young individuals who become parents, the overall judgment remains that it is a suboptimal and high-risk outcome for all involved.

III. The Expanded Narrative: A Tragedy of Public Exposure

The core tragedy of this narrative is the public exposure and subsequent emotional toll. Chantelle chose to leave town, and later remarried, finding a path to a new stability. Alfie’s inability to find genuine love and his continued reliance on destructive coping mechanisms confirm the long-term, devastating consequences of the loss of privacy, the emotional betrayal, and the public humiliation he endured as a child. The twelve infractions on his record reflect a persistent struggle with structure and social expectations, directly tied to the chaos of his early teenage years.

The true lesson of the Alfie Patten case is that the consequences of premature parenthood are vast, enduring, and often compounded by a sensationalistic media environment that treats vulnerable minors as disposable entertainment.