Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Robert Sutcliffe & Kate Lally

Murder probe launched after body of newborn baby found 'wrapped in Heron Foods bag'

A murder investigation was launched after a man found the frozen body of a newborn baby wrapped in a plastic bag in his neighbour's house.

Shop worker Darnell Jackson, 23, said he found the dead baby wrapped in a Heron Foods bag between 11.30am and noon on Thursday, December 16.

He had been told by his partner Carol Hirst, 28, to go round after she had apparently seen a baby at the property.

READ MORE: More countries ban UK tourists and introduce new rules for Brits

Darnell said he wanted to see to make sure it wasn't a doll.

He said: “I thought she must be telling the truth but I had to go and check for myself.

“Carol was on the phone to the police and I had to go through the first living room and I walked through the second living room and saw the plastic Herons bag which had been removed from the freezer.

“I just literally grabbed the bag to take a look and straight away I could tell it was a dead baby as Carol and I had just had our own baby girl so I knew there was no doubt in my mind."

Two people, a 17-year-old girl and a 45-year-old woman, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday night, after the body was found at a house in Norman Crescent, Rossington, in Doncaster.

New dad Darnell told Yorkshire Live that he went round to the house and saw the baby in the bag.

Darnell, who works at the local Herons Food store in the area, said he recognised the bag immediately.

The incident left him and his partner Carol Hirst "traumatised", they said.

Emergency services were called at 12.15pm where the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.

A cordon remains in place in the street while officers carry out work, a police spokesman said.

Both the woman and the girl remain in police custody as detectives probe the death.

The force has asked people to avoid the area and for the public not to speculate regarding the circumstances around the baby’s death.

Temporary Superintendent Jamie Henderson said it was a "tragic case" and that investigations were ongoing.

He said: “This is an extremely tragic case and I know the local community, and those further afield, will be very upset to hear about what has happened.

“At this time, our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death is in the very early stages and we ask the public not to speculate about the case.

“There is a cordon in place on Norman Crescent in the Rossington area while our officers carry out their work, and therefore we are asking members of the public to avoid the area at this time.”

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.