Tragedy struck on Wednesday (March 1) after police uncovered the remains of a baby in woodland close to where Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were arrested.
The pair had been on the run for 53 days, leading police on a nationwide manhunt to trace them after their car caught fire on the M61 near to Bolton and was found abandoned on the hard shoulder, back on January 5.
Despite the damage to the scorched car, crews found a placenta on the back seat of the vehicle with police believing that a baby had been born in the car just one or two days earlier.
It was then revealed that travelling in the vehicle were the child's parents, aristocrat Constance Marten, and her partner, and convicted sex offender, Mark Gordon. There was concern raised after police said they did not believe the baby had been checked over by a doctor since birth.
Over a number of weeks, police shared various appeals in a desperate bid to locate the pair. Four different police forces and hundreds of officers became involved in the major search, that caught the eye of national media. The couple fled Greater Manchester after the fire, travelling to Liverpool, then to Colchester.
Detectives from Essex Police then established they had taken a taxi from Harwich to East Ham station on January 7th. Images were released of Constance, who appeared to be seen carrying the child under a red shawl. Fears were sparked that the duo had been camping, including in sub-zero temperatures, after Mark bought a two-man tent, sleeping bags and pillows from an Argos store in London.
The family were traced to Newhaven in East Sussex. They were seen sheltering from the rain, under the overpass, at about 6am on January 8. That was the last time they had been seen before they were arrested by officers from Sussex Police in Stanmer Villas, Brighton, after a member of the public reported seeing them the night before.
Marten and Gordon were arrested on suspicion of child neglect after they were eventually located on Monday (February 27) following several weeks on the run. But, their two-month-old baby was not with them. The pair were then further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, with a frantic search to locate the child continuing.
In a tragic update on Wednesday (March 1), Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford made a heart-breaking announcement, revealing that remains of a baby had been found in the search for Constance and Mark's child.
Hundreds of officers from the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police, as well as search and rescue volunteers, scoured 90 square miles of land near Brighton over the course of two days in search of the infant. Helicopters, sniffer dogs, drones and thermal imaging cameras were all deployed during the two-day operation.
Speaking at Sussex Police headquarters, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: “It is my very sad duty to update this afternoon, police officers searching a wooded area close to where Constance and Mark Gordon were arrested, discovered the remains of a baby. A post mortem examination will be held in due course.
“A crime scene is in place and work at the location is expected to continue for some time. This is an outcome that myself and that many officers who have been part of this search had hoped would not happen.
“I recognise the impact this news will have on many people who have been following this story closely and can assure them that we will do everything we possibly can to establish what has happened.”
Chief Superintendent James Collis from Sussex Police added: “I would first and foremost like to extend my heartfelt condolences on behalf of Sussex Police to the wider family of the baby at this time. I understand that the conclusion of this search will be heart-breaking for the local community and the wider public who have been impacted by and so supportive of this search and the investigation from the outset.
“I would like to thank again the public, including the member of public whose information led to the arrests, the huge number of people who came forward with information and those that have volunteered to assist with the searches. We continue to support the Metropolitan Police as they conduct their investigation and also the wider community as we all come to terms with this tragedy.”
The couple remain in custody having been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and gross negligence manslaughter.
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