Baby found in shopping bag in Newham has brother and sister who were also abandoned, court told
A newborn baby who was abandoned in a shopping bag has two siblings that were also found in similar circumstances, it has been revealed.
The link has emerged following DNA testing on the infant, who was discovered in sub-zero temperatures by a dogwalker in east London earlier this year.
The results confirmed that the baby girl, named Elsa by hospital staff, is related to a boy and girl who were also abandoned in the same area in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
Police are yet to find out who their parents are and investigations are ongoing.
Baby Elsa was thought to have been less than an hour old when she was found in Newham after a passer-by heard her crying.
The dogwalker discovered her wrapped in a towel inside a reusable shopping bag near the junction between the Greenway footpath and High Street South at around 9.15pm on 18 January.
They then kept the child warm by wrapping her in blankets until paramedics arrived and were afterwards praised by police for helping to save her life.
Officers later said the baby was “safe and well“.
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From January: Baby was ‘less than an hour old’
A court previously heard that because the investigation into Elsa’s birth is continuing, her birth cannot be registered yet and no final decision about her care can been made.
A judge at East London Family Court has now ruled that reporting restrictions could be changed to allow the publication of the link between the three children, following an application by members of the media.
It can be reported that Elsa’s sister, known as Roman, was found in similar circumstances in a play area off Roman Road, Newham, in late January 2019, in freezing temperatures.
Her brother, known as Harry, was found wrapped in a blanket in Balaam Street, Plaistow, in September 2017.
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Harry and Roman – not their real names – have since been adopted.
Only certain details of the three children, who are black, may be reported.
‘Very, very unusual’
On Monday, judge Carol Atkinson ruled the restrictions should be lifted in the interests of “openness of justice”, the PA news agency reported
The judge added: “There is a clear public interest in reporting this story.
“The abandonment of a baby in this country is a very, very unusual event and there are years where there are no children abandoned, and because of that it is the story of the abandoning of a child that is of public interest.
“It is for the same reason, in our current society, of enormous interest and importance that people know that there is a mother and father out there who felt the need to relinquish their children in this way, three times, and that is of considerable interest, it seems to me.”
A further hearing in baby Elsa’s case is expected to be held at a later date.
Anyone with information that could help identify the parents is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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