Baby found dead in search for Constance Marten and Mark Gordon's newborn 'may have died several weeks ago', cops reveal | The Sun
POLICE have revealed a baby discovered in the search for Constance Marten and Mark Gordon's missing newborn had been dead "several weeks before they were found".
The body was last night found after the couple was discovered by cops in Brighton on Monday ending their seven weeks spent on the run.
The couple was located on a residential street shortly before 9.30pm sparking an urgent hunt for the child.
They had been seen walking off the Sussex Downs without the newborn by a member of the public who then rang 999.
Last night police revealed that they discovered the remains of a baby in a wooded area close to where they were arrested.
And today police gave a heartbreaking update on the found remains.
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Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: "At this stage we have not yet been able to confirm the baby's gender and a post-mortem examination has not yet taken place.
"Despite this, based on the enquiries we've carried out so far, we believe, sadly, the baby had been dead for several weeks before they were found. It's too early for us to provide a more specific date."
Police also revealed a referral has now been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as the tragedy unfolded during the missing person's investigation.
The couple remain in custody having been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and gross negligence manslaughter.
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The warrant of further detention that was granted yesterday is in place until late this evening.
It comes after police revealed they are testing placenta found in Marten and her lover Mark Gordon’s car to find out the baby's gender.
Cops previously said the new mum had given birth in her car days before the pair fled.
Since the pair's arrest police had been desperately searching across 91-square miles of East Sussex for the missing baby.
Over 200 officers were spotted searching under cars and behind bins in Stanmer Villas and nearby Roedale Valley Allotments.
Miss Marten and Gordon were reported missing after their car broke down near Bolton, Greater Manchester, on January 5.
It's believed before they disappeared, Marten withdrew £15,000 of cash and the pair bought burner phones with multiple sim cards.
The pair ditched their burning car and a nationwide hunt for the three of them began.
They are believed to have spent time sleeping rough and travelling the country using cabs after being spotted buying camping equipment from an East London Argos on January 7.
Concerns grew for the missing aristocrat, 35, and her baby, as temperatures across the country plummeted.
Before they were found, the pair were last seen with their baby in Newhaven, East Sussex, on January 9.
CCTV captured images of the hooded pair dumping their child's pram in the port town.
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Cops previously said the new mum had given birth in her car days before the pair fled.
Detectives offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the couple's whereabouts in January.
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