There is nothing to suggest that the baby found dead in a shopping bag in west London is related to three children abandoned in London across eight years, it is understood.
The body of the newborn boy was discovered in a Marks & Spencer bag outside All Saints’ Church, off Talbot Road in Notting Hill, at 12.46pm on Tuesday. The search for his mother is ongoing.
The PA news agency understands that police do not currently believe the child is related to three siblings found abandoned across seven years in east London.
Those children, known as Elsa, Roman and Harry, were discovered in 2024, 2019 and 2017 respectively, with the investigation into the identity of their parents continuing.
On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police reiterated calls for the mother of the child found dead in Notting Hill to come forward, citing concerns “for her welfare and health”.
Reading a statement to the media outside the church, Superintendent Owen Renowden described the discovery as “tragic”.
He said: “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.
“As shocking and tragic as this is, my priority remains with a mother’s welfare and health.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 3431/25March.
Police are also continuing their investigation to find the parents of Elsa, Roman and Harry, with the independent group Crimestoppers previously offering a £20,000 reward for information passed to the charity, which will expire on April 18.
Elsa was found wrapped in a towel in a reusable shopping bag on January 18 last year, at the junction of Greenway and High Street South in East Ham, east London.
Her brother, Harry, was found wrapped in a white blanket in Balaam Street, Plaistow, in September 2017.
Roman was found in similar circumstances in a play area off Roman Road, Newham, in late January 2019.
Harry and Roman, not their real names, have since been adopted.
Anyone with information relating to the three siblings is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref Operation Wolcott.
People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously at any time on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org.
