Constance Marten and Mark Gordon: Body found in search for missing baby

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A body has been found in the search for a missing baby in Sussex

A body has been found in the search for a missing baby after an extensive search by police in Sussex. It comes after two missing people were arrested by officers in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

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Police say the remains of a baby were found today. They gave the update in a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were found in Brighton in the early hours of Tuesday morning. They had disappeared in January with police making several appeals for information about their whereabouts including that of their baby, who was thought to be days old when the couple went missing.

The pair were both initially arrested on suspicion of child neglect. On Tuesday afternoon, police said both had been further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. They remain in custody. Police said on Wednesday they had sought a 36-hour extension to continue questioning the pair.

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Officers spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday scouring an allotment, golf course and nearby woodland and wild park. The search also included helicopters, drones and police dogs in a bid to find the missing infant.

More than 200 officers were tasked with searching for the missing infant over the past two days, with police saying the risk to the baby was “extremely high”.

Hundreds of officers from Sussex Police and the Metropolitan Police have been searching tirelessly across an extensive area over two days. Photo: Eddie MitchellHundreds of officers from Sussex Police and the Metropolitan Police have been searching tirelessly across an extensive area over two days. Photo: Eddie Mitchell
Hundreds of officers from Sussex Police and the Metropolitan Police have been searching tirelessly across an extensive area over two days. Photo: Eddie Mitchell

In a statement, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: “It is my very sad duty to update that this afternoon, police officers searching a wooded area close to where Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were arrested, discovered the remains of a baby. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

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“A crime scene is in place and work at the location is expected to continue for some time. This is an outcome that myself and the many officers who have been part of the search, had hoped would not happen.I recognise the impact this news will have on the many people who have been following this story closely, and can assure them that we will do everything we possibly can to establish what has happened.

“Constance Martin and Mark Gordon remain in custody after an application for the extension of their detention for a further 36 hours was sought from Brighton Magistrates’ Court. No further information about the discovery will be shared at this time.” Detective Superintendent Basford added it is “imperative” that members of the public refrain from speculation and that anyone with information should call 0208 345 3854.

Constance Marten, 35, and her ex-convict boyfriend Mark Gordon, 48, were last seen in the early hours of the morning on January 8 in Newhaven, East Sussex. The couple sparked a police hunt after being spotted leaving a burning car on foot on the M61 near Bolton earlier in the month with their newborn baby. They are then believed to have travelled to Liverpool, Essex and London.

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Last month (January) detectives offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to Ms Marten’s and Mr Gordon’s whereabouts. She comes from a wealthy family with connections to the royals, and has lived an isolated life since meeting her lover Gordon in 2016. He was previously imprisoned in the USA for rape.

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