Detectives are pleading with the public to assist them in locating a newborn baby who they believe have been sleeping in a tent in subzero temperatures.
Constance Marten, 35, Mark Gordon, 48, and their newborn baby were last seen at Argos on Whitechapel Road, E1, at 6.19pm on Saturday, 7 January.
Mark went in alone and paid in cash for two large bags full of items, including a blue two-man tent, two sleeping bags, and two pillows. He exited the store at 6.40pm
They then walked around the Whitechapel Road area for about three hours. They attempted to hail three black cabs but were refused.
They then fled on foot and were last seen at 10pm on Saturday, 7 January, walking along Brick Lane towards Bethnal Green Road. Mark is frequently seen walking ahead of Constance and the baby.
This is the family’s last official sighting.
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 were camping out somewhere, as our evidence suggests,” said Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who is leading the investigation.
“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 critical in locating the baby and ensuring its well-being.
My officers will continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to piece together the family’s movements and current location. It’s possible they’re attempting to blend in with homeless communities in London or elsewhere, or they’re camping in more rural or wooded areas.
“They could be anywhere in the country,” says one. Please keep your eyes peeled, especially while out and about in waste ground or beauty spots, or while walking the dog, and report any information to us, no matter how insignificant you believe it is.”
Officers were called to a car on fire on the hard shoulder of the M61 near junction four at 18:33hrs on Thursday, 5 January (Farnworth, Bolton). The occupants, however, were not present.
The car fire is thought to have destroyed the majority of their belongings.
Inquiries revealed that the car’s occupants were Constance and Mark, and that Constance had recently given birth, possibly one or two days before, and had not been evaluated by medical professionals.
Greater Manchester Police launched a missing persons investigation, and it was discovered that the family had safely exited the vehicle and the motorway, walking to the Anchor Lane bridge, which connects the Highfield and Little Hulton areas.
Officers believe they then took a taxi to Liverpool and then to Harwich around 3.30am on Friday, 6 January.
A member of the public saw Mark, Constance, and a baby in Harwich around 9am on Saturday, 7 January. On Friday, January 6 and Saturday, January 7, officers received a number of confirmed sightings of the family in Colchester.
On Monday, January 9, the investigation was turned over to Essex Police.
Essex Police conducted a number of inquiries and reviewed hours of CCTV footage before locating the couple near East Ham Station on Saturday, 7 January, between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Because this was the family’s last confirmed sighting, the investigation was turned over to the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday, January 12.
Detectives have determined that they took a taxi from East Ham and were dropped off in Whitechapel Road at 18:14hrs.
The couple is seen exiting the taxi while carrying an orange carrier bag and a pram. They are both wearing white plastic bags on their shoes and have their heads and faces covered.
Their movements are then as previously described.
Anyone with information about the family’s whereabouts is asked to contact the incident room at 020 7175 0785.
Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to report information completely anonymously. They never ask for personal information and do not track your device.
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