The mother of a newborn girl found dead in a pub toilet has been identified and is receiving care and support, police have said.
The baby girl, believed by authorities to have been stillborn in a toilet cubicle, was found on Sunday afternoon at the Three Horse Shoes pub in Oulton, Leeds.
The discovery led to police making an appeal for the woman to come forward with officers stressing she should not fear being arrested. It was a safeguarding inquiry, not a criminal one, they said.
On Tuesday, West Yorkshire police said the woman had been identified. “She has now received the appropriate medical care and is being given ongoing support,” a police spokesperson said.
The force also thanked members of the public and anyone who had helped in the appeal.
At a press conference in Leeds city centre on Monday, DCI James Entwistle, from West Yorkshire police’s homicide and major inquiry team, said the information he had pointed to the baby being stillborn and having been born in the toilet cubicle.
Addressing the mother directly, he said: “From a police perspective I just want to be really clear. I’m not here to arrest you, I’m not here to arrest anyone else.”
Karen Sykes, the head of nursing for safeguarding at Leeds teaching hospital NHS trust, echoed that concern. She said: “To the mother of this baby girl – we are really concerned about your medical, physical and emotional wellbeing at this point in time and urgently ask you to seek some medical help and advice.”
Paramedics were called to the pub at 4.45pm and the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The pub said it would remain closed on Tuesday, but would reopen on Wednesday.
