Officers believe a missing aristocrat is sleeping in tent with her sex offender partner in the freezing cold with their new born baby. The police have issued a new appeal over Constance Marten and Mark Gordon who have been missing for a number of weeks.
The aristocrat mum, who is from a wealthy land-owning family with links to the Royal Family, disappeared with her baby boy and partner on January 5. Manchester Evening News reports that the pair were spotted abandoning a burning car on the hard shoulder of a motorway after it broke down in Bolton.
Metropolitan Police officers investigating their disappearance have today confirmed that they believe that Constance, Mark and their child have been 'camping out' in the extremely cold temperatures. Officials say that they are 'extremely concerned' for the baby, who is not believed to have been seen by a doctor since being born, along with the mother.
Police state that the family were spotted in East London at 6.19pm on January 7. Gordon, who served 20 years in jail in the US after raping a woman, went into the shop alone and bought two bags full of camping items.
Officials claim he purchased a blue two-man tent, two sleeping bags and two pillows. He paid in cash and then left the shop at 6.40pm.
Police say the couple spent just over three hours walking around the Whitechapel Road area. They tried to flag down three black cabs but were refused.
They then walked away from the area, along Brick Lane towards Bethnal Green Road at around 10.01pm. This was the last time the family were officially seen.
Officials claim Mark will often walk alone ahead of Constance and the baby. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who is leading the investigation, says the family may be trying to 'blend in with homeless communities'.
He added that they may also be camping in more rural or wooded area. Basford said: "We are extremely concerned that a newborn baby – less than a week old at the time on 7 January – has been exposed to sub-freezing cold temperatures if Mark and Constance have been camping out somewhere as our evidence suggests.
"No child, especially a tiny, newborn baby, should be forced to endure such dangerous, potentially life-threatening, conditions. This is why it is absolutely vital that anyone with information about their whereabouts contacts us as a matter of urgency – whether it is with a recent or older sighting.
"Every piece of information is crucial to enabling us to find the baby and ensure it is okay. My officers will continue working tirelessly behind the scenes to piece together the family’s movements and current whereabouts.
"It could be that they are trying to blend in with homeless communities, either here in London or further afield, or they could be camping in more rural or wooded areas. They could be absolutely anywhere in the country.
"Please keep your eyes peeled, especially while you are out and about in waste ground or beauty spots, or while you’re walking the dog, and report any information, no matter how insignificant you think it is, to us."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
