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Abandoned baby's mother found
Dec 23 2003
By John Revill, Birmingham Post
The mother of a baby abandoned in the toilets of a Worcestershire shopping centre two months ago has been found by police.
The baby, named Isobel by staff at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, was discovered by a shopper in the toilets of the Rowland Hill Shopping Centre in Kidderminster on Friday, October 10.
The baby, who was thought to be six weeks old, was left in a black holdall wearing a baby-grow and a bib bearing the words Im a pretty princess.
No details about the mother were released by West Mercia Police yesterday, but the force said she had been located following a tip-off from a member of the public.
Officers are preparing a file which will be given to the Crown Prosecution Service so it can decide whether any charges will arise from the case.
Meanwhile, social services have spoken to the mother and police regarding the future of baby Isobel.
Detective Inspector Adrian Todd, who led the inquiry, said: We are grateful for the response we received from the public which helped us to find Isobels mother.
We are very relieved to have found her.
Earlier this month social work-ers appealed to Isobels mother to contact them with her medical records in case she had any allergies or potentially inherited diseases.
Isobels blood group could not be determined because human rights legislation prevents samples being taken without the consent of a parent.
She also faced growing up without knowing her birthday unless her mother got in touch, social workers said.
Isobel is now with foster carers and Worcestershire County Council said the long process of finding and vetting suitable adopted parents had yet to get under way.
CCTV footage of a woman thought to be Isobels mother was released by police in an attempt to trace her, while a mobile CCTV van was deployed in Kidderminster town centre to help to jog peoples memories.
