Police searching for runaway aristocrat Constance Marten’s missing newborn baby say they have found a body.
Detectives described the news as ‘heartbreaking for the community’ and thanked members of the public who offered information.
Missing aristocrat Constance Marten’s baby ‘had been dead for several weeks’, police have said after remains were found in a major search for the two-month-old.
A massive search was undertaken over 96 square miles around the Brighton area for two days, leading to the discovery. A post-mortem examination on the baby will be carried out in due course, detectives said.
Ms Marten, 35, and her partner Mark Gordon, 48, were arrested in Brighton on Monday night, following a more than seven-week search sparked by the discovery of their burnt-out car on the M61 near Bolton.
The couple were detained by Sussex Police after being spotted by a member of the public, prompting the intensive search for their missing baby.
More than 200 police officers from the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police were involved in the search for the child, aided by a police helicopter, sniffer dogs, thermal imaging cameras and drones.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday evening that remains had been found.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said the case has been referred to the police watchdog.
Officers have been unable to confirm the infant’s gender and a post-mortem has not yet taken place.
‘It is “too early” to provide a specific date of death, the Metropolitan Police said.
Mr Basford said: ‘My team has been working on this investigation for the past eight weeks and we have travelled across the country as part of our searches for this baby.
‘I would first and foremost like to extend my heartfelt condolences on behalf of Sussex Police to the wider family of the baby at this time,’ he said.
‘I understand that the conclusion of this search will be heartbreaking for the local community and the wider public who have been impacted by and so supportive of this search and the investigation from the outset.
‘This is an outcome that myself and many officers who have been part of the search had hoped would not happen,’ he added.
‘I recognise the impact this news will have on people who have been following the story closely and can assure them that we will do everything we possibly can to establish what has happened,’ he concluded.
