Elsa: Baby found in shopping bag to be adopted

A baby girl Elsa who was found abandoned in a plastic bag in freezing temperatures is set to be adopted by her foster carers.

Elsa, as she was named by hospital staff, was found by a dog walker in Newham in January 2024. Despite extensive enquiries, no trace of her parents has been found.

Later, police discovered Elsa has two older siblings, who were also abandoned in the area. Harry, now eight-years-old, was found in 2017, and Roman, six-years-old, in 2019. Both children have since been adopted.

Elsa has been cared for by foster carers, and a judge has now ruled she will remain with them, with a path open to adoption.

Judge Carol Atkinson said: “Elsa is a beautiful little girl, a raucous bundle of excitement and laughter. I am pleased to have seen photos of her. I know from reports that she lights up the space around her.

Police have carried out extensive enquiries, including going door-to-door of every property nearby, but their parents have never been found.

Police carried out extensive enquiries, including door-to-door checks of every nearby property. A full DNA profile was established, and hours of CCTV footage were reviewed, narrowing the search to 400 homes.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: “This remains one of the most unique investigations we have worked on. It has involved speaking with hundreds of members of the public and travelling across the country to contact possible relatives.

He further stated that this familial DNA work has been complex and involved identifying potential matches to the DNA of the three children, before exploring all of that person’s family structure.

At this stage, it has not resulted in identifying the biological parents of the three children. ‘While this has been disappointing, the lengths we have gone to have proven the team’s dedication to safeguarding children and ensuring the welfare of the mother.