In a tragic turn of events, a 17-year-old Egyptian bride died on her wedding night earlier this week.
According to Al Dostor newspaper, the young girl, now identified as Samah, passed away after suffering a sudden heart attack.
The health crisis went down shortly after the bride's wedding celebrations wrapped up and minutes after she and her groom arrived at their new home.
The incident was immediately reported to the security manager of Egypt's Al Dohloqiya governorate, as the village where the bride died is located close to the area.
The groom was questioned by police...
Samah's husband, 28-year-old Mahmoud J., was questioned by local police officers soon after they arrived at the scene.
He explained that the young woman hadn't eaten anything all day and was suffering severe stomach aches.
She later took pills to help with that and seemed to feel better as she was able to get through the wedding party.
Investigations into the case continue as police await the coroner's official report on the bride's cause of death.
Not the first similar incident to take place in recent years...
Last year, another young Egyptian bride passed away on her wedding night in Egypt's Al Menia. At the time, 22-year-old Jihad Omar Hamad was celebrating one of the happiest days of her life when she suddenly fainted.
She was immediately transferred to a hospital but was unfortunately pronounced dead shortly after.
Hamad's sudden death left her groom, family, and friends shocked. Her story also left thousands upset after it went viral on social media.
Child marriage cases are widespread in Egypt and globally
Child marriage cases are widespread in Egypt and continue to be a major problem, especially in rural areas.
Last year, the issue sparked controversy in the country after several preachers, and even an Egyptian MP, called on authorities to lower the marital age for girls.
According to the World Economic Forum, 117 countries around the world allow child marriages, either because there is no age specification or it is allowed under certain circumstances.
Globally, UNICEF says 39,000 child marriages occur daily. While one in three girls in the developing world are forced into marriage before the age of 18.