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Police in the U.K. on Tuesday, June 4, confirmed a baby that was found abandoned in January is the younger sister of two children previously abandoned in separate instances in the same area.
The Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that DNA testing confirmed a sibling relationship between Baby Elsa, who was found in Newham, in east London, in January, and two other babies who were abandoned in 2017 and 2019.
Baby Elsa was discovered as a newborn in a plastic shopping bag in the Greenway park on Jan. 18 by a member of the public who was out walking their dog. Police checked CCTV cameras in the area and put out an appeal in the media in the hope of finding the child's parents.
A week later, police sought the public's help identifying a woman seen wearing a large, dark coat and a light-colored scarf or hood around her neck in the area shortly before Baby Elsa was found. Police continue to believe the mystery woman "could hold important information about how Elsa came to be where she was found."
The case follows the discovery of Baby Harry, who was found abandoned in a park area close to Balaam Street, also in Newham, on Sept. 17, 2017. Baby Roman was found by dog walkers in a small children's park on Roman Road in Newham on Jan. 31, 2019.
The case was made public Tuesday after a family court judge ruled the story was in the public interest, and granted media requests to report on the link between the three abandoned children.
"We understand the significant public interest that will come following the lifting of restrictions that allow this information to be reported. It is significant news and our work has focused on trying to locate the mother and provide support to her," Detective Inspector Jamie Humm from the North East Command Unit said in a statement.
"We have worked 24/7 in each of these three cases to identify the parents, so far without success. We have also had to be mindful of the sensitivities that exist now all of the children are being cared for. Their welfare, including their privacy, is paramount," Humm said. "We continue to investigate, and will consider the next steps in our investigation."
Police are asking anyone with information to come forward by calling 101 or messaging @MetCC on X, formerly Twitter.
The BBC reported that the two older children have been adopted, and Baby Elsa, who was believed to have been born just an hour before being abandoned, is currently in foster care. The outlet reported that the family court was told the children will all be informed that they are siblings, and they are expected to meet each other and have some relationship.
—TMX contributed to this report.