Community thanked for tending to grave of Baby Sion

KIND-HEARTED people have been caring for the grave of a baby boy whose body was discovered on the banks of the River Taff.

Bereaved parents have even shared their own flowers with the grave for the baby boy who faced being buried with no service, no mourners and no headstone.

Despite various appeals Baby Sion’s parents were never traced and he faced a public health funeral.

But after a WalesOnline appeal, more than £1,600 was raised to provide a fitting ceremony for the tiny baby and a headstone to mark the place where he is buried in the children’s section of Thornhill Cemetery.

More than £1,000 of that was donated to Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.

A year on from the funeral, people have gone a step further by tenderly caring for the grave.

HeatherJane Coombs, from Sands, said: “I visited baby Sion’s grave last week, and it is really heartening to see so many people are looking after it.

“My mum looks after his grave when she goes up, but met a mum and nan who had just lost a child when I was there last, and she messaged after to say they had shared some of their little boy’s flowers with Sion. There are also lots of little keepsakes on it that people have put down. There are so many lovely people out there.”

The police, who were so heavily involved in the case from the start have also thanked people for their compassion.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O’Shea said: “As we approach the poignant anniversary of Baby Sion’s death I would like to once again take this opportunity to thank the community of Cardiff for the compassion and interest they have shown toward the Baby Sion case.

“His grave has been cared for by visitors to the cemetery, which is a real testament to the very best of the community spirit within Cardiff.

“It is a case that touched the hearts of many; including myself and my team.

“We will never forget Sion and would like to once again reach out to his mother or father and remind them that there are many agencies able to offer help and support in these difficult circumstances.

“They will be listened to and treated with compassion should they wish to make contact with me personally.”

Sion was recovered from the river on the Taffs Mead Embankment just after 6pm on Tuesday, June 23, two years ago after his body was discovered by a fisherman.

South Wales Police made several media appeals throughout the extensive investigation conducted at the time to try and locate the parents but the mother and family never came forward.

This month, Sands charity is erecting washing lines with 15 babygrows hanging from them, in iconic locations around the UK to provoke a discussion as to why 15 babies die before, during or shortly after birth every day in the UK. One of the washing lines is being taken up Pen y Fan on Saturday to raise money for a special memorial garden in Wales. To find out more, visit www.sands.org.uk