Couple seen ‘dropping bag’ before dead baby boy found in Notting Hill - as police urge mother to come forward
26 March 2025, 10:45 | Updated: 26 March 2025, 14:45
Police have urged the mother of a newborn baby boy, who was found dead inside a Marks & Spencer bag outside a church in west London, to come forward.
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A council refuse worker made the discovery after spotting the black bag with avocados on it outside All Saints' Church, off Talbot Road in Notting Hill, at 12.46pm on Tuesday afternoon.
A witness told Metro: “It was around 10am. A couple in their 50s left a bag on the street.
“The man was rustling the bag as if tying it. He walked ahead and the woman followed him.
“They were looking around the bin which is used by the council for garden waste.
“I have reported this to police. The timing was right.”
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The deputy warden at All Saints' church in Notting Hill said she had "never heard anything like this in my life."
"I came here to prepare for the food bank and I just saw loads of police arriving, and when I came out it was all taped over," Marcia Haynes told reporters.
Ms Haynes said when she found out a baby had died that "it just freaked me out, and I just I had to abandon what I was doing and go home because I thought I was going to be ill, to be honest".
"I've been here since 1966, I've never heard anything like this in my life."
She said she let two female police officers into the church on Tuesday.
"Two women officers asked me if they could come in and search the church, and I let them in, and they searched the toilets and all around the church," Ms Haynes said.
"I presume they were looking for the mother in case she was hiding somewhere or something."
The Metropolitan Police on Wednesday reiterated calls for the mother, who is thought to have recently given birth, to come forward "for her welfare and health".
Reading a statement to media outside the church on Wednesday morning, Superintendent Owen Renowden described the discovery as "tragic".
"I want to praise that professionalism in particular of the local refuse worker and also the responding emergency services who I know will have been deeply affected by the incident yesterday," he told reporters.
"As shocking and tragic as this is, my priority remains with a mother's welfare and health."
A cordon which blocked off access to the street in front of the church has been mostly removed.
A small taped area off Clydesdale Road remained on Wednesday morning.
Bunches of flowers and a toy bunny were left by a tree near to where the police tent was on Tuesday night.
A lighted candle was left on a ledge outside the church, with a note which read: "God bless the little Baby x".
'Deeply affected'
Superintendent Owen Renowden, who leads policing in Kensington and Chelsea said:"Local officers have worked through the night and continue enquiries this morning, to locate the 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 and Spencer’s bag with pictures of avocados on the side. The bag was discovered by a council refuse worker who immediately contacted police.
"Officers attended alongside colleagues from the London Ambulance Service but, very sadly, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
"We can now confirm that the baby was a boy and we believe that he was a newborn when he died.
"I want to praise the professionalism in particular of the local refuse worker and also the responding emergency services who I know will have been deeply affected by this incident yesterday.
"As shocking and tragic as this is, my priority remains the mother’s welfare and health.
"We are really worried about her wellbeing as she will have recently given birth. I know she will likely be feeling very frightened and going through an extremely difficult time.
"If you are the baby’s mother and see this today - I want to appeal directly to you to come forward to receive help and support. My priority is to help, and make sure you can receive medical assistance. You can do this at any time by attending any hospital, police station or by calling the emergency services.
"I also want to appeal this morning to anyone who may have information that can assist us to make contact. In particular if you saw anyone in the area with the Marks and Spencer’s bag or saw anything that you felt was unusual.
"I know the community here are concerned by what has happened and we will be continuing our close work with our partners to support local people. The neighbourhood policing teams will be remaining in this area over the coming days and we will also be available every Wednesday at our regular community drop-in at Thorpe Close.
"I want to end this morning by repeating my plea to the baby’s mother to come forward and to reassure her that our main thoughts are with her wellbeing and getting her any help that she may need."
