Newborn baby found dead in West Midlands canal

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Police are urgently searching for the mother of a newborn baby who died after being found in a canal in the West Midlands.

A passer-by found the baby boy in a waterway in Rough Wood Country Park, off Hunts Lane in Walsall, on Thursday afternoon. The infant was confirmed dead at the scene at around 1pm.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward as they try to locate the baby’s mother, who they fear may be in need of urgent medical care.

Det Insp Wes Martin said: “This is a tragic investigation and our priority is to now find the baby boy’s mum to make sure she is okay.

“She may be in need of urgent medical attention and she is our absolute priority at the moment.”

He urged anyone with information to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via live chat at www.west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight. Alternatively they can call 101 at anytime, quoting log number 1963 of 20 May.

It is the second time in a month that an abandoned newborn has been found in a park in the region.

A dog walker found the baby, believed to only be a few hours old, clothed and wrapped in a blanket at The Mounds in Birmingham on 22 April. Named George by hospital staff, he is healthy and has been taken in by foster carers.

West Midlands Police remain “desperately concerned” about George’s mother, who has not yet been located despite extensive searches.

Officers have released an e-fit of the woman, whom a witness described as white, around 5ft 6ins tall and of medium/large build.

Det Insp Neil Hunt said: “We’ve not taken the decision to issue this image lightly or to frighten you. We simply want to find you so we can talk to you, check you are okay, and offer any help or support you may need.”