COPS are still hunting for the mother of a newborn baby boy who was found dead in a shopping bag.
A refuse worker made the tragic discovery yesterday outside All Saints Church in Notting Hill, West London, at just before 1pm.
Police today issued an update on the shocking mystery, revealing how the tot was found and urging the mother to come forward amid urgent fears for her welfare.
Superintendent Owen Renowden said: “Local officers have worked through the night and continue enquiries this morning to find a mother of the baby.
“We were called at 12.46pm to All Saints Church near Talbot Road following the discovery of a newborn baby in a shopping bag.
“This was a black Marks & Spencer bag with pictures of avocados on the side.
“The bag was found for a council refuse worker who immediately contacted the police.
“Officers attended, alongside colleagues in the London ambulance service, but very sadly the baby was pronounced out at the scene.
“We can now confirm that the baby was a boy and we believe he was a newborn when he died.”
Superintendent Renowden hailed the “professionalism” of the refuse worker, as well as the cops and medics who responded to the call.
And he said officers are urgently trying to trace the tragic tot’s mum.
The cop added: “As shocking and tragic as this is my priority remains for the mother’s welfare and health.
“We are really worried about her well-being as she would recently have given birth.
“I know that she will likely be feeling very frightened and going through an extremely difficult time.”
He went on to directly appeal to the mum, along with anyone else who saw anything unusual.
Deputy church warden Marcia Haynes told The Sun how police searched the church after the baby was found.
She said: “My prayers are with the family and poor baby. There was a church service and then the police came in, they searched everywhere.
“I think they thought the mother may have been in here. It’s such a shock. They were in the toilets and everywhere.”
It comes after a couple were seen dumping a bag at the spot where the newborn was found, witnesses say.
A scaffolder who was working nearby said a middle-aged couple dropped the bag by a bin at around 10am.
‘HORRIFIC’ FIND
He said: “The man was rustling the bag, like he was tying it. He walked ahead and she followed him.
“They were looking around the bin that is used for garden waste. People have also been dumping rubbish bags there.
“I called the police after I found out what happened. I feel sorry for the poor guys who found the baby.”
He added: “It’s horrific.”
The binman was said to have been so taken back by the morbid discovery that he was left unsteady on his feet.
One mum told The Sun: “The binman found it in a black bag next to that recycling bin. He almost passed out.”
A neighbour said: “I heard that it was one of the binmen who found the body while he was working.
“I had my hand in that very bin two days ago, I was taking rubbish out of my car and it was overflowing.
“It’s horrific to think about. That poor bloke, wherever he is now he’s not going to be sleeping well.”
‘WHO IS SHE?’
Another resident, speaking last night, said: “It’s very tragic, heartbreaking actually. It’s heartbreaking.
“The police have been out there all day, I saw the tent go up earlier.
“We’ve seen lots of guys in blue suits, forensics teams walking in and out.
“I can’t begin to imagine what it must feel like for the person who found it.
“I imagine they left him or her outside the church because they felt it was symbolic.
“But there are so many questions now. Where did she give birth? Where is she and where did she come from?”
And a regular churchgoer at All Saints added: “It’s deeply sad and tragic really. This one is particularly sad, of course it is.
“I’ve been attending this church for six years and lived in the area for eight years. I’m a father myself and it’s very sad.
“There are a whole lot of people who are involved in this, including the mother.
“We’re sadly becoming used to stabbings and shootings in London, but a tragic event like this is unprecedented.
“It’s interesting that she chose our church, I wonder if it meant something to her or symbolised something.”
