The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Police investigate death of newborn baby found in flat.
Friend of mother Claire Turnbull says she believes that it is no more than an accident
The death of a newborn baby in Cupar at the weekend is a tragic accident, a friend of the girl’s mother believes.
Claire Turnbull, originally from Methil, has been named locally as the mother of the three-week-old tot whose body was discovered in a flat in Kinloss Crescent on Saturday morning.
Having lived in the property for just a matter of weeks, the mother was absent from the upstairs flat yesterday afternoon as police continued to investigate the sudden death.
A friend of Ms Turnbull, who spoke to The Courier on the grounds of anonymity, said that she was keen to stop rumours from spreading within the community until the facts surrounding the tragedy had been established.
“I think it is a scatter flat for people before they get council houses,” she said.
“I spoke to Claire before she had the baby and I know that she was looking forward to it.
“Obviously there are rumours starting up but what people don’t know they make up instead.
“I think it has just been a tragic accident.”
Miss Turnbull had only recently moved to the flat in Kinloss Crescent just weeks before giving birth to what was her second child.
Floral tributes were already starting to gather at the small flight of steps leading up to the flat yesterday, as two police officers remained stationed at the front of the property.
Neighbours say they had seen little of their new neighbour since she had moved in, with Jane Dalrymple saying: “She was really young looking but I didn’t know her.
“She certainly hadn’t been living here very long.”
Meanwhile, fellow local resident Kelly Bateson added: “I saw her on Friday coming down the stairs with her baby.
“When I was going to work on Saturday morning I saw the unmarked police car at about 9.30.
“As a mother of four myself I’m shocked.”
Police Scotland are investigating the sudden death, as is standard practice in such circumstances.
A statement from the force said: “Police in Fife were called to an address in Kinloss Crescent, Cupar, around 5am on Saturday 22 October following the death of a three-week old baby girl.
“The death is currently being treated as unexplained pending further inquiries and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.” jowatson@thecourier.co.uk