Woman in her 30s arrested on suspicion of infanticide after discovery of dead baby

A woman aged in her 30s has been arrested on suspicion of concealing a birth, neglect and infanticide following the discovery of a newborn baby’s body in Notting Hill.

Over the past week, Met detectives, alongside partners from the NHS and local councils, have been conducting enquiries following the discovery of a deceased baby boy, who was found inside a bag near All Saints Church in Powis Gardens.

Police tracked down the mum on Saturday and said officers were continuing with their enquiries to understand more about the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death.

The woman was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and to ensure all necessary medical care was provided to her. She remains in hospital.

A forensic post-mortem will take place later this week, which will help police understand more about the baby boy’s death.

Superintendent Owen Renowden, who leads policing for Kensington and Chelsea, said: “We believe that the woman is the baby’s mother and I am reassured that she is receiving the support she needs, while officers continue their work to understand what took place.

“I recognise that the news of this arrest may cause concern among our community, but when dealing with investigations of this nature our priority is to ensure the welfare of all involved and ensure that all lines of enquiry are fully explored.

“I appreciate the high level of attention that this investigation has received, but we politely ask for the public not to speculate.

“Although this is a significant development, we are still appealing for anyone with any information to contact police on 101 or at @MetCC quoting CAD1879 of 26 March.”

Pictured top: All Saints Church, where the body was discovered (Picture: Google Street View)