Police are urgently searching for a vulnerable mother after the body of a newborn baby, believed to be a girl, was discovered in a waste pile at an industrial site in Rowley Regis, Sandwell, West Midlands.
Discovery at Industrial Site
The baby was found on Thursday morning, June 25, within a waste pile that had been transported to the site by a private waste operator. West Midlands Police believe the child was unknowingly moved on Wednesday, June 24. The force has not connected the operator, which works across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and West Mercia, to the baby's death.
Forensic Examination Underway
Forensic examinations are being conducted to identify the baby and determine the cause of death. However, Detective Chief Inspector Kylie Westlake from the force's Public Protection Unit stated that finding the mother is the "absolute priority."
Appeal for Mother's Safety
Det Chief Insp Westlake said: "While we don’t yet know what has happened, what we do know is that there must be a mother out there who is in real need of help − and she is our absolute priority at the moment. We have been checking CCTV and speaking to hospitals, but it may be that the mother or someone who knows who she is sees this appeal. I really want to speak to her to make sure she’s OK, and to ensure that she can get the help that she urgently needs."
She added: "We'll treat information we receive sensitively, and we'd ask for anyone who can help us identify who the baby and mother were to come forward. It may be you live near a baby, and their mother, who have unexpectedly not been seen for a number of days."
Public Portal Established
A Major Incident Public Portal has been set up to allow people to submit information directly to police.
