Constance Marten, the mother of the child, and Mark Gordon, her partner, have not been seen since January 5, according to authorities.
A statement from the London Metropolitan Police stated that on Wednesday, the remains of a two-month-old infant were discovered in forest in Sussex, UK.
After a manhunt for the mother and her partner, who, according to the BBC, had been gone for 53 days, resulted in their arrest on Monday, British police discovered the remains. The baby’s body was reportedly discovered close to the Brighton location where the two were detained.
Police say that after the baby was delivered in early January, Constance Marten, 35, and her boyfriend Mark Gordon, 48, who is a convicted sex offender, disappeared. The two, according to police, were seen buying a blue tent and sleeping bags and were also seen on CCTV with their faces covered.
In a statement, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the Metropolitan Police said, “The bones of a newborn were found by police officers who were scouring a forested area nearby where Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were detained. In due course, a post-mortem examination will be conducted.”
The statement continued, “This is a conclusion that myself and the numerous police who have been involved in the search, had hoped would not happen. “I am aware of the impact that this news will have on the numerous people who have been closely following this story, and I can reassure them that we will do everything we can to determine what happened.”
According to the statement, Marten, a member of a wealthy British family, and Gordan are still being held by authorities despite a request for a 36-hour extension of their detention.
After being seen by a member of the public in Brighton just before 9.30 p.m. on Monday, Marten and Gordon were detained on suspicion of child neglect. Later, the police announced that they had been further detained on suspicion of felony manslaughter.
In a prior statement on Wednesday, officials said they believed the infant had suffered “severe damage.” Almost 200 police officers and members of the public participated in the search, which covered an area of 90 square miles, according to the police.
The police aircraft, sniffer dogs, thermal imaging cameras, and drones, according to a statement, are being deployed to support authorities on the ground. Also, police advised locals to investigate their “gardens, outbuildings, and sheds.”
Early in January, Marten and Gordon went missing. On January 5, the automobile they were riding in was discovered on fire by the side of the road. According to the police, Marten likely gave birth just one or two days prior, possibly in the car or close by.
“Constance and the infant have not been seen by a doctor. Officers are still dedicated to identifying the family because it is uncertain if the infant was full-term or has any health difficulties “said the police in a statement.
According to U.S. law enforcement documents, Gordon was sentenced to 20 years in jail in the United States after being found guilty in Florida of kidnapping and sexual battery. At the age of 15, he was detained in 1990. Upon his release from prison in 2010, Gordon was returned to the UK through deportation.
Call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453 if you have any suspicions of child abuse, or visit www.childhelp.org. All phone calls are free and private. The hotline is accessible around-the-clock in more than 170 languages.