A tear-jerking note left close to where the body of Constance Marten's baby was found revealed that a neighbour heard the child crying.
The harrowing discovery was made on Wednesday after Marten and partner Mark Gordon was arrested a couple of days before. The pair had spent the seven weeks leading up to their arrest on the run.
When they were arrested at 9.30pm, their baby was not with them which led to an urgent police hunt in order to find them. A member of the public reported spotting them walking off the Sussex Downs without the newborn and dialled 999, the Mirror reports.
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Soon after, the baby's body was discovered in a wooded area close to where they were arrested. A sad note left at the scene by someone claims they heard a baby's cries.
The card, attached to a white teddy bear, reads: “RIP little darling. “I am so traumatised. I should have followed your cries. I will never forget.”
Police gave an update on the search earlier today, with Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford stating the baby "may have been dead for some time". During a press conference, he said: "At this stage we have not yet been able to confirm the baby's gender and post-mortem examination has not yet taken place.
"Despite this, based on our inquiries we've carried out so far, we believe sadly the baby may have been dead for some time before they were found.
"It is too early for us to provide a more specific date.
"Because we believe the death occurred during the course of a missing person investigation we have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). This is standard protocol for such circumstances."
The couple are currently being quizzed by detectives following an arrest on suspicion of child neglect and gross negligence manslaughter. Police have also seized a warrant of further detention that will remain in place until tonight.
A placenta found in the couple's car is being tested to find out the baby's gender. It is believed Marten could have given birth in the car possibly one or two days prior to the incident.
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