£20,000 reward offered in search for parents of three abandoned baby siblings

Crimestoppers is offering £20,000 for information that helps locate the parents of three abandoned sibling babies.

It comes exactly one year after the youngest was discovered alive in a shopping bag in freezing temperatures in East Ham, east London.

The infant, just one hour old, was named Elsa after the character in the hit Disney film Frozen as she was so cold.

Baby Harry and baby Roman, meanwhile, were found in similar circumstances in the same part of the capital in September 2017 and February 2019 respectively.

DNA tests showed all three are full siblings. The children, whose names have since been changed, are said to be in good health.

The parents, however, have still not been found.

Alongside the Crimestopper’s reward offer, the Metropolitan Police have released an appeal for information that might help them locate the pair.

They’ve also shared a photo of the Boots shopping bag Elsa was found in at the junction of the Greenway and High Street South.

Detective inspector Jamie Humm, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: ‘We have carried out extensive enquiries over the past year to try and locate Elsa’s parents.

‘This has involved reviewing over 450 hours of CCTV and completing a full DNA structure of the mother.

‘We have also worked with wider specialists who are of the view that the mum and possibly also the father have been residing in the Plaistow or East Ham area over the past six years.

‘We have serious concerns for the well-being of the parents, especially the mother and are continuing to work closely with Newham Council and appeal for the public’s help for information.

‘The three babies in this investigation are thankfully healthy and well, and we are continuing momentum behind this investigation to identify the parents.’

DI Humm said he believes someone in the area will have been aware of the mother’s pregnancies and concerned for her welfare.

He added: ‘I share these concerns with you so if you have any information, no matter how small it may seem, please contact us.

‘Thanks to the DNA work of forensic colleagues, police will be able to eliminate any unconnected person quickly and easily, as such I would ask you to contact police with confidence.

‘I would also appeal to professionals in the area, such as those in health, care, education or the charitable sector to consider whether they have encountered the mother without realising it at the time.’

The £20,000 reward is only available to those giving information directly to the charity.

Information passed to the police will not qualify for the reward.

Anyone speaking to Crimestoppers will remain anonymous.

Visit Crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.