UK police have apprehended an aristocrat and her partner after the couple disappeared with their newborn baby earlier this year, but the search for the missing infant continues.
Constance Marten, 35, and Mark Gordon, 48, were spotted by a member of the public in Brighton on Monday night, police reported on Tuesday. The couple were taken into custody at the scene on suspicion of child neglect, but their baby, believed to have been born possibly one to two days before disappearing without medical attention, is still missing. An “urgent search operation” is ongoing, according to a spokesperson for the UK’s Metropolitan Police service. The public has been urged to come forward with any information that might help the investigation.
The search for the missing baby began in early January, with police offering a £10,000 ($12,090) reward for information leading to the family’s discovery. More than 350 calls from members of the public and over 630 hours of security camera footage have been reviewed, according to Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the Met’s East Area Command. He said, “We have a genuine concern for the health and wellbeing of the baby, and Constance and Mark, and it is our duty to ensure that they are okay.”
Marten is the daughter of Napier Marten, a film and music producer. In a recent audio appeal to his daughter, published by UK news outlet The Independent, Napier Marten said that Constance was “much, much loved, whatever the circumstances,” and that the family was “deeply concerned” for her and her child’s welfare.
The situation has captured national attention as the mystery of the missing baby has unfolded. With the arrests of Marten and Gordon, many hope that information will come to light regarding the whereabouts of the infant. However, as the search continues, there is no telling when answers will be found.
The case is a reminder of the importance of child welfare and the need for the public to remain vigilant in cases of missing persons. The authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and help with the investigation. Until the baby is found and the family is reunited, the country will be watching and hoping for a positive outcome.