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| Rochdale woodland baby death: Two people arrested | Rochdale woodland baby death: Two people arrested |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a baby was found in woodland. | Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a baby was found in woodland. |
| The girl's body was found by a dog walker near Peel Lane, Heywood, Rochdale on 4 April. Police later named her 'Pearl', meaning precious. | |
| Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a man, 48, and a woman, 33, both from the Rochdale area were arrested earlier. | |
| The pair have also been arrested on suspicion of concealing a birth and preventing a lawful burial. | The pair have also been arrested on suspicion of concealing a birth and preventing a lawful burial. |
| No blanket | |
| They are believed to be related to the child who was found abandoned, unclothed, with no blanket or nappy in a remote area of Roch Valley Woods. | |
| GMP said forensic examinations found the baby was born with a congenital defect that resulted in her missing two ribs. | |
| The force said officers had been making extensive inquiries including DNA analysis to find out exactly what happened to the girl, whose body was found near an old rubbish tip. | |
| Det Supt Lewis Hughes said: "This continues to be an incredibly heart-breaking case for everyone involved - from the detectives working painstaking hours to find those responsible to members of the public that have felt the loss of Pearl." | |
| He added the investigation was still "very much ongoing" and urged anyone "with even the smallest piece of information no matter how insignificant it may seem" to get in touch. | |
| "We're committed to finding the truth for this little girl and truly believe the public could hold the key to this tragic case," he said. | |
| A permanent memorial is to be created in tribute to the baby following a campaign from a group of local mothers who said they did not want her to be forgotten. | |
| Rochdale Council has approved plans for a bench with a plaque bearing Pearl's name on a bridge near Peel Lane. |