Authorities have discovered that a newborn baby girl found abandoned in London is the third child to be left by the same parents. DNA tests confirmed that “Baby Elsa” is a full sibling to two other babies, Harry and Roman, who were found in similar circumstances in 2017 and 2019, according to a report by the BBC.
Elsa was found last January by a dog walker in sub-zero temperatures, wrapped in a towel inside a bag. Although she was extremely cold, court documents revealed she was crying and responsive, with her umbilical cord still attached. Doctors believe she was found only an hour after birth. She is currently in foster care, while her siblings have been adopted.
An expert confirmed there is “extremely strong scientific support” for Elsa being a full sibling to Harry and Roman. Despite the parents not being identified, it has been reported that the children are black.
The family court intends for the children, whose names have been changed, to know they are full siblings and plans to facilitate some form of contact as they grow up. However, local authorities and England’s Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service do not support reporting the sibling link.
The Metropolitan Police expressed concerns that publicizing the sibling connection might inadvertently encourage other struggling mothers to abandon their babies. However, Judge Carol Atkinson emphasized the public interest in the story, noting that baby abandonment is “a very, very unusual event” in modern Britain.
“Abandonment of a baby in this country is a very, very unusual event,” Atkinson stated. She argued that reporting the case is crucial for public awareness and could assist authorities in locating the parents.
Judge Atkinson concluded that refusing to report on the case would hinder public consciousness and restrict open justice. Highlighting the sibling relationship would help focus attention on the children’s mother and potentially aid in finding her.
