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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/13/tooting-bec-search-baby-parts-discovery
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tooting Bec common search continues after baby parts discovery | Tooting Bec common search continues after baby parts discovery |
| (21 days later) | |
| Police are continuing to search a park in south London after the partial remains of a newborn baby were found in a council depot. | Police are continuing to search a park in south London after the partial remains of a newborn baby were found in a council depot. |
| Officers are trying to trace the mother of the child, who was born about two weeks ago and had gone to full term. | Officers are trying to trace the mother of the child, who was born about two weeks ago and had gone to full term. |
| Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne said he would be "very surprised" if the remains, the child's legs, were deliberately left in the council maintenance depot at Tooting Bec common, which staff use as a car park. | Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne said he would be "very surprised" if the remains, the child's legs, were deliberately left in the council maintenance depot at Tooting Bec common, which staff use as a car park. |
| "We can't discount animal activity in terms of these few remains. I would be very surprised if they had arrived where they were found by a human being putting them there," he said. | "We can't discount animal activity in terms of these few remains. I would be very surprised if they had arrived where they were found by a human being putting them there," he said. |
| Detectives have contacted schools and medical centres in an attempt to find the parents and hope to have finished searching the common by the end of Friday. | Detectives have contacted schools and medical centres in an attempt to find the parents and hope to have finished searching the common by the end of Friday. |
| A postmortem examination was carried out at Great Ormond Street hospital that showed the baby was born approximately two weeks ago. Experts cannot be sure whether the child was stillborn. | A postmortem examination was carried out at Great Ormond Street hospital that showed the baby was born approximately two weeks ago. Experts cannot be sure whether the child was stillborn. |
| Dunne said: "The focus right now is to identify the parents, particularly the mother because she or they are almost certainly going to be in need of some of the care services support. We're very focused on trying to identify the mother of this child. | Dunne said: "The focus right now is to identify the parents, particularly the mother because she or they are almost certainly going to be in need of some of the care services support. We're very focused on trying to identify the mother of this child. |
| "We have contacted educational establishments and health trusts to ask if they have any concerns about young people who may have been due to give birth around that time." | "We have contacted educational establishments and health trusts to ask if they have any concerns about young people who may have been due to give birth around that time." |
| DNA tests are being carried out on the remains but it will be some time before they yield any results. | DNA tests are being carried out on the remains but it will be some time before they yield any results. |
| Appealing for anyone with information to come forward, Dunne said: "Allow a few moments to ask yourselves: 'Do I know anyone who was due to give birth or at the end of their pregnancy term and have I seen that mother or parents since then?' | Appealing for anyone with information to come forward, Dunne said: "Allow a few moments to ask yourselves: 'Do I know anyone who was due to give birth or at the end of their pregnancy term and have I seen that mother or parents since then?' |
| "Anyone who does contact us, their details will not be revealed to any other party and our inquiries will be discreet. At this stage our main focus is making sure the parents, particularly the mother, are physically okay." | "Anyone who does contact us, their details will not be revealed to any other party and our inquiries will be discreet. At this stage our main focus is making sure the parents, particularly the mother, are physically okay." |
| The investigation team can be called on 020 8721 4906. | The investigation team can be called on 020 8721 4906. |
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