Woman arrested after dead baby discovered in bag left outside Notting Hill church
31 March 2025, 14:54 | Updated: 31 March 2025, 15:18
A woman has been arrested following the discovery of a dead baby who was left inside a bag outside a church in west London.
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The baby boy was found by a refuse worker inside a black Marks and Spencers shopping bag near All Saints Church, Notting Hill on March 25.
Following an appeal, the woman in her 30s was located and arrested on suspicion of concealing a birth, neglect and infanticide.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and ensure all necessary medical care was provided to her, the Met Police said.
She currently remains in hospital, the force confirmed, while adding they ask people "not to speculate".
A forensic post-mortem will take place later this week to help police understand more about the child’s death.
Superintendent Owen Renowden, who leads policing for Kensington and Chelsea said: “This is an ongoing, fast-paced investigation, with officers working tirelessly to ascertain the circumstances of the baby boy’s death.
“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.”
Officers have expressed their thanks to members of the local community, who have offered their support to the local police teams as the investigation has progressed.
Police said they are open-minded about the circumstances of the child's death.
