Three babies have been found dumped hours after their births since 2017 which police have established are all related, and have now offered a £20,000 reward to find their parents
Police have offered a huge reward to help trace the parents of three newborn babies discovered dumped shortly after their births.
Baby Elsa was found alive in a shopping bag near the Greenway footpath in east London a year ago, when she was only an hour old. Doctors named her Elsa, after the character in Disney’s Frozen, as she was so cold when she was found.
In February 2019, baby Roman was found wrapped in a white towel and also placed in a shopping bag. Another baby, named Harry, was discovered in September 2017, also wrapped in a blanket, also shortly after he was born.
Enquiries by the Met’s Child Abuse Investigation Team revealed Elsa was biologically related to the two other babies. To support this investigation, the charity Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police, is offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information given to them anonymously.
Detective Inspector Jamie Humm of the Child Abuse Investigation Team said “We have carried out extensive enquiries over the past year to try and locate Elsa’s parents. This has involved reviewing over 450 hours of CCTV and completing a full DNA structure of the mother.
“We have also worked with wider specialists who are of the view that the mum and possibly also the father have been residing in the Plaistow or East Ham area over the past six years. We have serious concerns for the well-being of the parents, especially the mother and are continuing to work closely with Newham Council and appeal for the public’s help for information.
“I believe someone in the area will have been aware of the mother’s pregnancies and within the community there may be been concerns for this mother’s welfare. I share these concerns with you so if you have any information, no matter how small it may seem, please contact us.
“Thanks to the DNA work of forensic colleagues, police will be able to eliminate any unconnected person quickly and easily, as such I would ask you to contact police with confidence.
“I would also appeal to professionals in the area, such as those in health, care, education or the charitable sector to consider whether they have encountered the mother without realising it at the time. The three babies in this investigation are thankfully healthy and well, and we are continuing momentum behind this investigation to identify the parents.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref Operation Wolcott. To remain 100% anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org
