A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of a baby girl whose body was found in woodland.
The naked body of the newborn, who detectives called Pearl, was found on 4 April by a dog walker in Roch Valley Woods in Heywood, Greater Manchester.
Police have arrested a 48-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman on suspicion of murder, concealing a birth and preventing a lawful burial.
The suspects are believed to be the infant’s parents.
Forensic examinations revealed the baby was born with a congenital heart defect, meaning two of her ribs were missing.
Further inquiries have included DNA testing to work out what happened to baby Pearl. Police previously said they believed the girl to be white, but possibly with some mixed race heritage.
Pearl was found at about 7.10am in woodland, unclothed and without a blanket or nappy.
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.”
Anyone with information can contact police on 0161 856 4810 or 07387 705 768 quoting incident number 368 of 04/04/18, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Detectives have taken on a behavioural psychologist as part of the investigation.
From – SkyNews
