Body of newborn baby is discovered in canal
A NEWBORN was found dead in the Grand Union Canal yesterday.
A passer-by made the horrific discovery near an industrial estate in north-west London.
Police and paramedics were dispatched but the child was declared dead at the scene.
The canal was cordoned off with surrounding roads and paths closed as dozens of emergency service workers moved in.
Officers wearing diving suits were seen close to where the incident took place off Old Oak Lane in the Park Royal area.
A nearby resident said the path beside the canal was a popular cycle route and police were turning ‘lots of people away’. They added: ‘ There were a lot of emergency services there, including a more specialist incident response vehicle.
‘Very sad news, I didn’t expect that this was what happened.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘Cordons are in place at the canal where the body of a newborn baby was found in the water.
‘An investigation is under way to establish circumstances. We urge the baby’s mother to seek medical assistance via 999.’
A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘ We sent a number of resources to the scene: an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic practitioner, a clinical team manager and two ambulance crews.
‘We also dispatched our hazardous area response team.’
Last month a newborn was found dead in a Morrisons car park in Bilston, Wolverhampton.
A 21-year- old woman and 36year-old man were arrested and later bailed.
Three weeks ago a baby boy was found abandoned in a park in Kings Norton, Birmingham.
He has since been taken into foster care because his parents failed to come forward.