UK - Three abandoned babies (2017, 2019, 2024) full siblings found in London

[MelmothTheLost]

Police set to stop search for parents after three of their babies were abandoned in plastic bags on London's streets as the trail goes cold​

Three babies separately abandoned in plastic bags in freezing temperatures in near identical circumstances several years apart.

For years detectives have desperately tried to trace their mother after DNA tests revealed that incredibly all three children were siblings.

Now, as the two year anniversary approaches of the discovery of the last child Elsa, police are preparing to close the case.

It follows a unique investigation which has taken officers across Britain and abroad using familial DNA analysis to contact possible relatives.

Officers are ready to concede defeat after going to extraordinary lengths and exhausting hundreds of lines of inquiry, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.

Police to stop search for parents after THREE babies were abandoned

For years detectives have desperately tried to trace their mother after DNA tests revealed that incredibly all three babies abandoned on London's streets were siblings.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[steeltowngirl]

I have a concern that the babies’ father may also be their grandfather.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I have a concern that the babies’ father may also be their grandfather.

Certainly not impossible, but if that is the case, I would expect that degree of inbreeding to be reflected at least as a possibility in the kids' DNA.

I suspect that the police have only ended the active search for these parents. With the children's DNA on databases, if either parent is arrested in future for any reason their DNA will be taken as a matter of course so these kids may well be identified in a few years.

 

[dotr]

Police to stop search for parents after THREE babies were abandoned

For years detectives have desperately tried to trace their mother after DNA tests revealed that incredibly all three babies abandoned on London's streets were siblings.

www.dailymail.co.uk

''Mr Basford said: 'I now think that the mother may have gone abroad. She may have been forced to leave the area; she may be being controlled.''

 

[MelmothTheLost]

An update on this case: the youngest baby, named Elsa, will be adopted and will regularly see her siblings.

Abandoned baby Elsa to be adopted and regularly see two siblings, court orders

Police say all enquiries to find the parents of the abandoned babies have now been "exhausted".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MarziPanda]

I'm a little sad she's not being adopted by one of the families that already has one of her siblings. The article states they'll see pictures of each other and have a playdate twice a year. That doesn't feel like enough. How can you form a sibling bond with someone you only see twice a year for a few hours? Hopefully that's 'at least' twice a year, like that's just the mandated amount, and the families will all get close and see each other more.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I'm a little sad she's not being adopted by one of the families that already has one of her siblings. The article states they'll see pictures of each other and have a playdate twice a year. That doesn't feel like enough. How can you form a sibling bond with someone you only see twice a year for a few hours? Hopefully that's 'at least' twice a year, like that's just the mandated amount, and the families will all get close and see each other more.

It's a very different situation to adopting a sibling group removed from birth parents at the same time. When the first baby was found and put up for adoption nobody would have imagined that there would have been a second, let alone a third, abandoned. The family who took the first baby may already have had other adopted children and be unable to take any more.

 

[MarziPanda]

It's a very different situation to adopting a sibling group removed from birth parents at the same time. When the first baby was found and put up for adoption nobody would have imagined that there would have been a second, let alone a third, abandoned. The family who took the first baby may already have had other adopted children and be unable to take any more.

I know, I just find it sad that neither of the other families were able to take in Elsa. No shade to them, they've got their own circumstances that must have prevented it, I just think it's sad for the kids.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I know, I just find it sad that neither of the other families were able to take in Elsa. No shade to them, they've got their own circumstances that must have prevented it, I just think it's sad for the kids.

Agreed. It's also possible that by the time the later babies were put up for adoption it had been discovered that one or both of the older ones had medical or developmental issues which made them high need in terms of support and that placing the younger ones with the same parents would not be in the interests of anyone.

 

[momsof3]

It's a very different situation to adopting a sibling group removed from birth parents at the same time. When the first baby was found and put up for adoption nobody would have imagined that there would have been a second, let alone a third, abandoned. The family who took the first baby may already have had other adopted children and be unable to take any more.

From reading the articles it sounds like she was adopted by the family she was already living with. My guess is she was placed with a family before any of the DNA findings were known. I think it would be more traumatic for her to be taken from the family she has bonded with even if placed with a sibling. It’s wonderful that the sibs will know each other as they grow up!

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Police to stop search for parents after THREE babies were abandoned

For years detectives have desperately tried to trace their mother after DNA tests revealed that incredibly all three babies abandoned on London's streets were siblings.

www.dailymail.co.uk

''Mr Basford said: 'I now think that the mother may have gone abroad. She may have been forced to leave the area; she may be being controlled.''

If so, wherever she is I hope she can take comfort in knowing the babies will be well cared for and given a chance at life.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

From reading the articles it sounds like she was adopted by the family she was already living with.

This tends to be the practice with newborns and young babies entering the system. It's known as "foster to adopt" where the baby is placed with potential adoptive parents for a period on a fostering basis as it allows the birth mother who has voluntarily surrendered a baby a breathing space to decide whether she wants to reclaim the baby and bring it up herself. It's not always popular with potential adopters because it can mean them bonding closely with the baby but then having to hand it back, but even if they are able eventually to adopt it, social services may insist on ongoing contact between the child and the birth mother and any other siblings. Whether such contact is always beneficial to the child is a matter of opinion. Until a few decades ago, the favoured practice was for a clean break, ie no ongoing contact and a child not always being told that he or she was adopted, but currently continuing contact is generally preferred by social services (though not by adoptive parents or a significant proportion of adopted children) unless there are compelling reasons why not.

My guess is she was placed with a family before any of the DNA findings were known.

Very likely, though given the repeated abandonment of very similar babies in a fairly small area they probably had their suspicions with Elsa.

I think it would be more traumatic for her to be taken from the family she has bonded with even if placed with a sibling. It’s wonderful that the sibs will know each other as they grow up!

Agreed.

 

[Kittypoo]

If so, wherever she is I hope she can take comfort in knowing the babies will be well cared for and given a chance at life.

Yes i think I’ve heard suggestions that the father may be a close relative. Would assume they must both be adults now in view of the wide age gaps. Although to discard a newborn it has to have been a very desperate situation each time. Feel for her (mum) and of course the babies
JMO

 

[dotr]

It would be interesting if in a different town or even country, a series of related and abandoned babies start showing up, speculation.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Yes i think I’ve heard suggestions that the father may be a close relative.

Unless we are thinking of incest over a number of years (which is not impossible as we have seen with cases of girls being kept prisoner by their fathers), then we should be looking perhaps at cultures where cousin marriage is a norm.