Saudi Child Brides

The case of a 12-year old child bride in Saudi Arabia, which had prompted talk of an overhaul of marriage laws in the country, has taken an unexpected turn: the child's mother dropped the suit and the young wife now claims her marriage to an 80-year old man was consensual. For details, consult the pieces below. According to the Associated Press, the dropped suit coincides with a reconciliation between the child's mother and her husband, who arranged his daughter's marriage.
It remains unclear what, if any, effects this new development will have on the Saudi government's reform plans.