A newborn baby girl who was found dead in a recycling yard during the first lockdown was laid to rest today.
The baby, who is only known as Baby S, was discovered on May 14, 2020 by staff sorting waste at the Sackers recycling depot in Needham Market, near Ipswich.
Police believe she was dumped in a bin at one of 52 commercial sites in the Ipswich area which had waste picked up and taken to the centre earlier in the day by two Sackers lorries.
Detectives have been unable to track down the girl's parents despite trawling through more than 11,000 hours of CCTV footage and visiting 800 homes and businesses in the area.
The girl's funeral was held today, and was attended by 15 mourners including police, council officials and six Sackers staff who gathered to say their final farewell to her.
The baby was compared to a "rosebud" that doesn't bloom as she was laid to rest in a tiny white coffin in a poignant graveside ceremony.
Some wiped away tears as her coffin was carried to her grave with a single white rose on top in the children's section of the Millennium Cemetery in Ipswich, Suffolk.
Celebrant Patrick Eade spoke movingly beside her grave, saying: "Baby S, you will never be forgotten. May the light of love shine upon you, and on those who care for you, and may you come to the end of your journey in gentleness and joy.
"Your memory remains in our hearts, and as long as we remember you, you will live on. With love and respect, we lay you down to rest. Go your way in peace."
He also read a poem, which began with the words: "The world may never notice if a rosebud doesn't bloom, or even pause to wonder if the petals fall too soon.
"But every life that ever forms, or ever comes to be, touches the world in some small way for all eternity."
Earlier Mr Eade spoke about the baby's unknown family at a private funeral service, saying she had died "in the most tragic circumstances".
He said: "It's difficult to imagine what family members of Baby S are experiencing. To move on is to put something behind you, forget about it and never look back. To 'go on' is to forever carry it forward with you and never forget.
"A bereaved parent will never move on, but 'go on'. If a message could reach the family of Baby S, I imagine it would be - 'Please tell what I can do to help'."
The ceremony included the playing of "Somewhere over the rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and "The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles.
Suffolk Police, who have been investigating the baby's death, previously said they do not know whether she was alive or dead when she was dumped in the bin.
A post mortem by a Home Office pathologist was unable to establish how she died, but said that she was under 48 hours old when she died.
Detective Inspector Karl Nightingale, of Suffolk Police, who was at the funeral, made an appeal for her parents or anyone with information to come forward.
He said: "Today we have laid this newborn baby girl to rest. Known only as Baby S, at this time we remain keen to establish the facts of what happened to her prior to her discovery on May 14, 2020.
"We have always kept an open mind of what led to her being placed into a bin. Time has moved on, but we remain unclear about this little girl's story.
"After nearly two years, people's lives have changed. Very few may know the truth about her story, but someone must.
"Now is the time to come forward and share with us the details of her short life, and this little baby girl her proper name."
David Dodds, the CEO of Sackers who was at the service with some of his staff, pledged to buy a headstone for her grave.
He said: "We just wanted to pay our respects and see her in her last resting place.
"I can't describe how harrowing it was for the members of staff who found her body. It has had a huge impact on the staff.
"We are all so concerned for her mother. We want her to get the help she needs."
