Baby girl Elsa found in shopping bag in Newham has two siblings who were also abandoned, court told

A baby girl found abandoned in a shopping bag in east London earlier this year has been identified as having two siblings who were found in similar situations in 2017 and 2019. A judge at East London Family Court ruled on Monday that reporting restrictions could be modified to reveal the connection between the three children, following a request by the PA news agency and the BBC.

This development comes after a child, named Baby Elsa by hospital staff, was found by a dog walker in Newham on January 18 in sub-zero temperatures. DNA tests confirmed that she has a brother and sister, Baby Harry and Baby Roman, who were similarly abandoned in the same part of the city in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

The parents of these children remain unidentified, with the Metropolitan Police still investigating their identities. Authorities believe a woman seen in the area before Elsa was discovered might have crucial information. She was described as wearing a large dark-coloured coat with a light-coloured scarf or hood and carrying a rucksack.

On Monday, Judge Carol Atkinson decided to lift restrictions to report the relationship between the children, stating it was necessary for the "openness of justice." She said: “There is a clear public interest in reporting this story. The abandonment of a baby in this country is a very, very unusual event and there are years where there are no children abandoned, and because of that it is the story of the abandoning of a child that is of public interest.”

She added, “It is for the same reason, in our current society, of enormous interest and importance that people know that there is a mother and father out there who felt the need to relinquish their children in this way, three times, and that is of considerable interest, it seems to me. If I restrict these rights and the reporting of that story, I think that does impact on public consciousness of these sorts of matters. It restricts the openness of justice.”

Typically, journalists can attend family court proceedings, but reporting restrictions limit what can be published to protect the anonymity of those involved. A pilot scheme to enhance transparency in the family court system, initiated in three courts in 2023, was expanded this year to allow accredited journalists and legal bloggers to report on cases in 16 courts across England and Wales.

Judges can outline what details may be reported under a Transparency Order, with journalists also allowed to access some documents. Following an application by PA and the BBC, Judge Atkinson modified the Transparency Order in Elsa’s case to permit the reporting that she has two siblings and other specific details. Only certain details about the three children, who are black, may be reported.

Baby Elsa was believed to be less than an hour old when she was found abandoned in a shopping bag at the junction of Greenway and High Street South in East Ham on January 18. Her sister, Baby Roman, was found in similar circumstances in a play area off Roman Road, Newham, in late January 2019, amid freezing temperatures and snow. In September 2017, Baby Harry was discovered wrapped in a white blanket in Balaam Street, Plaistow.

Harry and Roman, not their real names, have since been adopted. However, barrister Kate Claxton, representing Newham London Borough Council, previously informed the court that the ongoing investigation means Elsa’s birth cannot be registered, so no final decision regarding her care can be made. Another hearing for her case is expected to be held later.

Detective Sergeant Laurence Dight from the Metropolitan Police told the court on Monday that the investigation into the parents' identities is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the force using the reference CAD 6876/18 Jan.

In a statement on Tuesday, the force detailed its extensive inquiries, including media appeals, analysing CCTV, conducting door-to-door inquiries, and examining forensic evidence.

Detective Inspector Jamie Humm, based in Newham, said: “We understand the significant public interest that will come following the lifting of restrictions that allow this information to be reported.

“It is significant news and our work has focused on trying to locate the mother and provide support to her. We have worked 24/7 in each of these three cases to identify the parents, so far without success.

“We have also had to be mindful of the sensitivities that exist now all of the children are being cared for. Their welfare, including their privacy, is paramount. We continue to investigate, and will consider the next steps in our investigation.”