According to activists, Rawan died in the tribal area of Hardh in North West Yemen, after bleeding to death from internal injuries.
The death of the horrifically young bride has caused uproar, with activists demanding action be taken against the child’s family and the groom.
‘Angry Man’, a blogger, posted that the man was 'an animal who deserved to be punished severely for his crime'.
'All those who supported such a crime should also be punished,' he added.
Another blogger, called Omar, wrote: 'Rawan’s family members are not humans. They do not deserve to have children.'
Sadly this is far from a one-off scenario.
Amongst numerous cases, in 2010 reports surfaced claiming that a 13-year-old Yemeni girl had bled to death after being tied up and raped just days after being forced to marry a 23-year-old man.
The Yemeni parliament annulled the law in the nineties, which set the minimum age of marriage to 15, reasoning ‘parents should decide when a daughter marries’.
According to a 2009 report by the country’s Ministry of Social Affairs, the practice of marrying young girls is widespread in Yemen, with a quarter of all females marrying before the age of 15.
Traditional families prefer young brides because they are seen as more obedient and are expected to have more children.