Newborn Baby Found Naked While Parents Fled Authorities
A shocking court hearing today revealed that Constance Marten and Mark Gordon’s newborn baby, Victoria, was discovered without clothes amid freezing winter conditions while the couple was on the run. The pair allegedly dodged authorities and travelled extensively across the UK after their child was born on Christmas Eve 2022.
Couple Accused of Gross Negligence Manslaughter
Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, face charges of gross negligence manslaughter over Victoria’s tragic death. The Old Bailey heard the couple’s actions were fuelled by a “selfish” urge to keep their baby after their previous four children were taken into care.
The couple was caught in East Sussex on 27 February 2023. Just days later, Victoria’s lifeless body was found hidden in a Lidl bag inside an abandoned shed. Both deny all charges linked to the baby’s death between 4 January and 27 February.
Dramatic Police Search and Disturbing Details Emerge
Jurors were told a missing persons inquiry began on 5 January after a Peugeot the couple allegedly used caught fire on the M61 motorway near Bolton. Inside the burnt-out car, police found a placenta and belongings belonging to Marten. Witnesses also saw a woman climbing over the motorway barrier.
A local gave the couple a lift into Bolton town centre the same night and saw the baby wrapped only in a blanket. CCTV footage showed Marten and Gordon entering Bolton bus interchange, with Victoria hidden beneath Marten’s coat.
Frozen Baby Left in Just a Nappy During Escape
The couple went on the run to Liverpool, then Harwich in Essex, carrying their infant throughout. Taxi driver Ali Yaryar recalled seeing the baby barely clothed — just a nappy — hidden inside the mother’s jacket. When he offered a car seat, the woman declined, saying the baby was “too small.”
They were heard arguing, with Marten saying “he’s not very helpful,” while Gordon struggled to soothe the crying baby on a cold night.
Charges Mount as Trial Unfolds
Evidence also showed Marten received large sums from family trusts in the weeks around Victoria’s birth. Both face multiple charges including perverting the course of justice, concealing a child’s birth, child cruelty, and causing or allowing a child’s death.
The trial continues as more grim details emerge about the heartbreaking case.
