Lancashire Police update on discovery of foetal remains as they appeal for mum to come forward
“She must have been through something horrific and she may be frightened, but we need to speak to her so that we can find out what happened, and give her baby the goodbye they deserve...”
Detectives have made a direct appeal to the mother of a baby whose foetal remains were discovered in a bag next to a river in Lancashire.
Police were called to the River Hodder at Stonyhurst at 3.13pm on Tuesday (August 11), after the remains were found by a member of the public in a wooded area beneath the Hodder Bridge in Whalley Road.
“It is really important for us to find the mother of this baby,” said DCI Jill Vescovi, who issued a statement urging the mother to come forward.
“I know that she must have been through something horrific, and she may be frightened about coming forward. We need to speak to her so that we can find out what happened, and so that we are able to give her baby the goodbye they deserve.”
She said they are also concerned about the mother’s health and her welfare.
“I want to make a direct appeal to her,” said DCI Vescovi. “To ask her to please come forward and speak to us, or someone she trusts who will make a report. We want to make sure you are safe and that you have had any relevant treatment you may need.”
Lancashire Police are also appealing to anyone who was in the area over the weekend and the beginning of the week to get in touch.
Detectives say they are particularly keen to speak to a man who might be a possible witness, who was in the area with two children on Tuesday between 1pm and 3pm.
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What happened?
Officers were flagged down by a member of the public who made the discovery, believing the remains to be placenta. Police then confirmed that the bag contained a foetus.
It was found on the Mitton side of the river under the Hodder Bridge on Whalley Road in Stonyhurst, near Clitheroe.
Lancashire Police said they do not believe the foetus to be full term, but enquiries to determine the exact point of gestation are ongoing.
Police statement
A spokesperson for the force said: “Many of you will have seen in the news about some foetal remains being found in the Stonyhurst area yesterday.
“We’re now able to provide you with a bit more information and need to ask for your help.
“At 3:13pm on Tuesday (August 11) our officers were flagged down by a member of the public who had found what they thought to be a placenta inside a bag.
“This was found in a wooded area on the Mitton side of the river under the Hodder Bridge on Whalley Road in Stonyhurst, near Clitheroe.
“Our officers attended the scene, and it was later discovered that the bag contained the remains of a foetus.
“An investigation into how it came to be there has been opened, and our detectives have been conducting enquiries throughout the day. That scene and cordon remain in place whilst forensic enquiries continue.
“At this time, we do not believe the foetus to be full term, but enquiries to determine the exact point of gestation are ongoing. We also have enquiries ongoing to identify the mother, who we are really concerned about.”
Mother “must have been through something horrific”
DCI Jill Vescovi from the Force Major Investigation Team added: “We have a live investigation underway following the devastatingly sad discovery of this little one. Our enquiries are in their very early stages, and we are working to determine the important facts.
“What we do know is that it is really important for us to find the mother of this baby. We are concerned about her health, and her welfare, and urgently need to identify her and speak to her.
“I know that she must have been through something horrific, and she may be frightened about coming forward. We need to speak to her so that we can find out what happened, and so that we are able to give her baby the goodbye they deserve.
“I want to make a direct appeal to her today to ask her to please come forward and speak to us, or someone she trusts who will make a report. We want to make sure you are safe and that you have had any relevant treatment you may need.
“It’s also really important that we speak to people who were in the area recently, to help us try and determine how the foetus came to be in this area. Someone will know what has happened, and it is my, and my team’s job to find out exactly what.
“We have enquiries ongoing, but we need your help. If you know anything, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, please get in touch with us.”
Public appeal
The force added: “We know that there will have been people visiting the area over the weekend, and into this week, and we will have not yet spoken to all visitors. If you have been in that area this weekend, please get in touch with us, you may be a witness to our enquiries.
“We also know that this is a really picturesque place, where people come to visit and take photos. If you have images from this area from over the weekend and the beginning of this week, we would be very interested in speaking to you.
“We are particularly keen to speak to a man who was in the area with two children on Tuesday between 1pm and 3pm. He may be a witness to our enquiries.”
“If you can assist our enquiries in any way, please call us on 101 quoting log 0864 of August 11.”