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Two Adults Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder Of Baby Girl Found In Woods

Two Adults Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder Of Baby Girl Found In Woods

Baby Pearl was found dead in Heywood, Greater Manchester, on April 4th.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Two adults, thought to be the parents of a baby that was found dead after being abandoned in the woods in Greater Manchester have been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

A man, 48, and a woman, 33, are also being held on suspicion of concealing a birth and preventing a lawful burial.

The body of the baby girl, given the name Pearl by police officers, was discovered by a dog walker in Heywood on April 4th this year.

PA

She was found not far from the Back O'th' Moss estate, close to the River Roch, which runs through the centre of Rochdale.

Announcing the arrests, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "In the past three months officers have been following extensive enquiries including DNA analysis to find out exactly what happened to Pearl.

"Today, Wednesday 25 July 2018, a 48-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, have been arrested on suspicion of murder, concealing a birth and preventing a lawful burial.

"They remain in custody for questioning and enquiries are ongoing."

PA

It has been reported that the two people arrested are the baby's mother and father, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.

Detective Superintendent 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.

"While we have two people in custody, our investigation is still very much ongoing and I would continue to urge anyone with even the smallest piece of information - no matter how insignificant it may seem - to please 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."

PA

Pearl's body was found by a horrified dog walker who was out in the area at around 7am on April 4th. She had been left dead near an old rubbish tip, not far from the Heywood estate, Back o'th' Moss.

She had two ribs missing as well as a birth defect, although it is not clear whether this contributed to her death. Since then, forensic teams and DNA experts have been hard at work to find out who was responsible for her death.

The baby still had her umbilical cord attached when she was found, with police saying that there was evidence that it had been "roughly severed".

A funeral is yet to take place for the baby girl.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Parents, UK, Greater Manchester, Murder