Mother of fetus found on heathland is found safe and sound after dog walker made gruesome discovery
- Deceased human fetus found on Canford Heath near Poole, Dorset, yesterday
- The mother was found today after a frantic search by police officers
The mother of a deceased fetus has been found safe and sound after a dog walker discovered her baby yesterday.
The fetus was found yesterday at 3.50pm on Canford Heath near Poole, Dorset. A police helicopter could be seen above the moors and police cars and forensic vehicles were on site for hours.
Before finding her today, officers were concerned for her well-being and wanted to make sure she received “appropriate” care.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: ‘The mother of a fetus found in Poole has been identified following a public appeal and is safe and sound.
“An inquiry was carried out by Dorset Police and NHS Dorset and there was a cordon while inquiries were made in the area. The priority of everyone involved was to locate the mother and make sure she received proper care.
Police and sniffer dogs on scene after human fetus found in heathland
Police remained on scene today on Canford Heath near Poole, Dorset
A bunch of tulips was laid on site earlier this morning by a hiker
“Following the appeal, the mother has been identified and officers have made sure she gets all the support she needs. This is not being treated as a criminal case and our thoughts are with the mother at this extremely difficult time.
“We would like to thank the public who provided information in response to our call, as well as the local community for their support as more emergency services were present in the area.
“No further information will be released and we ask the public not to speculate on the circumstances.”
Dog walker Anabela Teixeira, 51, a health assistant who was in Canford Heath shortly before the discovery, said she thought another dog walker had found the fetus.
She said she saw someone in a black hoodie leave the area minutes earlier, though she couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.
“I was walking my dog and it was all quiet and I came across a person in a black hoodie, I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman,” she said.
“A few minutes later, I think the fetus was found by a dog walker, because it was an area away from the trail.
‘The police, ambulance and forensic investigations arrived on the scene. It’s very sad.’
The fetus was discovered at 3:50 p.m. yesterday near Culliford Crescent
A general view of the moors at Culliford Crescent. Police are calling on any witnesses to come forward
Police described the incident as a ‘very sad discovery’ and say their priority now is to locate the mother
At the time of the discovery, Superintendent Gavin House of Dorset Police said: ‘This is a very sad discovery and our absolute priority now is to locate the child’s mother to ensure she receives the right care.
“I would also ask anyone who saw anything in the Canford Heath area on Thursday, March 2, or anyone with any information to help us locate and support the mother.”
Dr. Paul Johnson, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Dorset, had said at the time: ‘I appeal directly to her to contact the medical services or the police as soon as possible so that we can make sure she is safe.
“I also want to call on anyone who is concerned about a family member, loved one or friend to get in touch.”
