A senior police officer has made a direct appeal to the mother of a newborn baby girl found dead in a pub toilet, telling her: “I’m not here to arrest you.”
Officers want the baby’s mother to contact them or seek medical help and said her welfare and safety was a priority.
West Yorkshire police said emergency services attended the Three Horse Shoes pub in Oulton, Leeds, at 4.45pm on Sunday. Paramedics confirmed the baby was dead.
DCI James Entwistle, of West Yorkshire police, said it was a tragic incident and a full investigation had been launched. He said the evidence so far suggested the baby’s death was “a stillbirth” that may have taken place in the bathroom cubicle where the body was discovered.
At a press conference outside Leeds General Infirmary, Entwistle 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.
“I’m here to make sure I understand what’s happened and make sure that you get the medical attention that you need.”
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.
“You can either go to your GP, but if you don’t feel comfortable going to your GP, come to one of our ED departments.”
Sykes said the mother could also call 111 or go to one of the trust’s maternity assessment centres.
Earlier Entwistle said: “We are urgently appealing for the mother of the baby girl to contact us or seek medical help as she has been through an extremely traumatic ordeal and could well need treatment herself.
“If the mother is comfortable speaking to the police then she can do so by calling 101 or she can use LiveChat online to talk to us remotely at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat. If she doesn’t want to speak to the police, she can contact the Leeds maternity assessment unit on 0113 3926731.
“Our inquiries into the incident remain ongoing today with NHS partners but our main priority remains the mother’s welfare and safety.”
On Facebook, the owners of the pub made reference to the incident and thanked everyone who had helped. The post said: “I’ve been writing post after post for the past hour but I don’t think right now is the best time given the circumstances …
“We’re sure there’s speculation of something that happened at our establishment this evening. All I can say at the minute is I’m sorry to everyone that was in with us during the time this happened and to all that was due to come in and couldn’t.
“A massive thank you to those that helped us while we were struggling as a team, it really doesn’t go unappreciated. Lots of love, Team Three Horse Shoes.”
