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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Mollie Mansfield & Milo Boyd

Woman, 20, who fell for mum's friend, 49, hits back at claims he's a 'paedophile'

A young woman engaged to her mother's friend is excited to have his children despite being younger than his kids and her family calling him a 'paedophile'.

Kayla Pratt, 20, first met future fiancé, Robert Longo Jr, 49, in March 2018 when she was asked by her mother to drop him back home after a friendly get together at her house.

Despite neither of them looking for an age gap relationship, the pair found themselves falling in love as the drop-offs became more frequent.

After just five weeks of dating Robert proposed to Kayla.

Now the couple are set to be married exactly one-year later on August 2, 2019.

The couple fell for one another during the two mile car rides back to his home (Caters News Agency)

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Family and friends have expressed their disapproval of the relationship dubbing Robert a "paedophile" and suggesting Kayla is "not a real woman".

Despite the criticism the couple are excited for their future life with one another, having hatched plans to buy a house and have children together.

Kayla, from Humboldt County, California, US, said: "We met through my mother because I would drive him home from the family house after he'd visit so he wouldn't have to walk two miles.

"At first, we were just friends and liked the fact we were both very non-judgemental - we weren't even looking for a relationship at this time.

"But after time we started falling for each other and, when he took me out for my 20th birthday in July, we decided to give dating a go.

The couple are tying to knot this August (Caters News Agency)

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"It was a whirlwind from there and we quickly got engaged five weeks later, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

"We want people to know that loving someone means so much more than just a number."

Since starting their relationship, the pair claim that they regularly encounter rude comments from strangers, friends and family.

Kayla, who is currently looking for work, explained: "We have received a lot of rude comments, mostly from my family and a few other people.

"Robert has been called a paedophile and someone told him that I wasn't 'woman enough' for him.

Some people have called Robert a paedophile and suggested Kayla is not woman enough for him (Caters News Agency)

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"We have been told our relationship is morally wrong and that there had to be something wrong with him for him to want to be with me.

"Some people are really supportive, some aren't supportive at all and some people are indifferent to it.

"Robert has children who are 27 and 29, so older than me, and they are trying to come to terms with our relationship.

"I have a one-year-old daughter and Robert has acted as her father her whole life, so she doesn't think anything of it."

Robert has "acted like a father' to Kayla's one-year-old child (Caters News Agency)

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While Robert's own children are not completely comfortable with their relationship, the couple plan on having children of their own in the future.

Kayla continued: "Despite raising my daughter as our child, we plan on having a few more children together biologically.

"Once we get married in August this year, we are going to move into our own house together and then think about the future in terms of kids.

"Although other people have negative opinions on our relationship, we are happy and don't want anyone to jeopardise that.

"We are both of legal age and in love, so we believe there's nothing wrong with that."

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