They offer more than 23,000 euros as a reward to find the parents of three brothers abandoned over eight years

Just over a year ago, on January 18 last year, during a frigid winter night in east London when temperatures plummeted to minus 4 degrees, a dog walker made a dramatic discovery. Inside an apparently abandoned shopping bag, barely wrapped in a towel, was a newborn baby (later it was learned that she was barely an hour old). The little girl was immediately taken to the hospital, where the medical staff named her Elsa, inspired by the protagonist of the movie “Frozen.”

What initially appeared to be a unique case became even more disconcerting when police investigations revealed a biological link between Elsa and two other babies who in recent years had been abandoned in similar circumstances.

In 2017, a baby named Harry was found in a park in Plaistow, a residential area also west of London, wrapped in a white blanket. Two years later, in 2019, another newborn, who was named Roman, was found inside a Sainsbury’s supermarket bag next to a bank in the Newham area. Thanks to DNA testing, it was confirmed that the three children share the same biological parents.

Three unnoticed pregnancies

Since Elsa was found, police have carried out an extensive investigation, including reviewing more than 450 hours of security camera footage and creating a detailed DNA profile of the mother. Despite these efforts, neither she nor the father have been able to be identified. Experts suggest the pair could have lived in the Plaistow or East Ham areas for the past six years, raising questions about how three pregnancies in such an interconnected community could have gone unnoticed.

Detective Jamie Humm, from the police Child Abuse investigation team, told the press the authorities’ concern for the mother’s well-being and has urged anyone with information to come forward. «It is likely that someone in the community has noticed their pregnancies or has relevant data. We ask that you share any detail, no matter how small it may seem,” he declared.

More than 23,000 euros for anyone who offers key data

To encourage potential informants, Crimestoppersan independent charity that enables the public to provide anonymous crime information to help combat crime and protect communities, has offered a £20,000 reward for those who provide key information leading to the identification of the perpetrators. parents.

Alexa Loukas, regional manager of Crimestoppers in London, stressed that information can be shared completely anonymously: “You will not have to speak to the police or provide statements. “Every little detail could be crucial to solving this case.” The reward will be available until April 18 of this year.

Meanwhile, the three children are in good health, according to authorities. Elsa’s legal situation, however, is not yet resolved, which made it difficult for her to integrate with her older siblings, who have already been adopted. Judge Carol Atkinson, of the East London Family Court, expressed concern about this situation, noting that no progress can be made in building family ties while legal proceedings remain open.

Professor Lorraine Sherr, of University College London, who has studied cases of children abandoned at birth, warned of the possible emotional consequences of these delays. «Elsa cannot move forward with her new life or build relationships with her siblings. It is also not known who his parents are. For the specialist, “this type of experience can lead to searches for identity that last for decades,” and she highlighted the psychological complexities that minors face in these circumstances.

Shock and solidarity in the East London community

The case of Elsa, Harry and Roman has generated a mix of shock and solidarity in the East London community. In June of last year, the Family Court allowed the biological connection between the three children to be made public, in the hope that this information would help identify the parents, a mission that authorities and organizations like Crimestoppers continue to work tirelessly toward. . “We are sure that someone has information or suspicions about the circumstances and may not know who to turn to,” said Alexa Loukas.