A newborn baby, believed to be a girl, was found dead in a pile of rubbish at a warehouse in Rowley Regis on Thursday morning, triggering an urgent police search for her mother. Officers believe the waste was unknowingly transported to the industrial site on Station Road by a private waste operator on Wednesday. The operator, which works across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia areas, is not being linked to the death, West Midlands Police said.
Detectives are carrying out forensic examinations to identify the girl and establish how she died, but their immediate focus is on finding the mother, who they fear may need urgent medical care. “You may be a mother, father, friend, teacher or lecturer who has spotted a loved-one who has behaved differently recently,” the force said in an appeal.
“Newborn girl found dead in pile of rubbish at Rowley Regis warehouse; police urgently seek mother feared needing medical help.”
Det Ch Insp Kylie Westlake said: “While we don’t yet know what has happened, what we do know is that there must be a mother out there who is in real need of help – and she is our absolute priority at the moment. We have been checking CCTV and speaking to hospitals, but it may be that the mother or someone who knows who she is sees this appeal. I really want to speak to her to make sure she’s OK, and to ensure that she can get the help that she urgently needs.”
Police have set up a Major Incident Public Portal for anyone with information to submit details directly. The discovery has shocked the local community in the Black Country, as officers continue to urge the mother to come forward, stressing that her welfare is paramount.