Detectives are increasingly concerned for the safety of a newborn baby girl who has disappeared with her parents.
The child, who police are referring to as “Baby Graham”, is seven days old.
She is believed to be with mother Azara and father Machel Graham and has not been seen since the afternoon Thursday, April 29.
During a routine post-natal appointment, a midwife noticed symptoms consistent with a serious respiratory condition.
They advised that Baby Graham needed to be taken to A&E for an urgent assessment.
Her parents have not followed this important medical advice and their whereabouts is now unknown, the Met said.
Scotland Yard has launched a high-risk missing person investigation after the case was referred to police.
Officers have been conducting urgent enquiries and have visited the parents’ home address in Southwark, South London on a number of occasions in the past 24 hours.
So far, they have been unable to locate either them or the baby.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucy O’Connor, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of Baby Graham. Her parents have not followed the medical advice they were given and in doing so, could be putting her health at risk.
“There will be a time and a place to explore their reasons, but right now our priority has to be the safety of this very young baby.
“While we would of course ask the public to keep an eye out for Baby Graham’s parents, we believe it’s likely they are being accommodated by relatives or associates. I would urge those people to put the welfare of this tiny baby girl above any other loyalty they may have and get in touch with the police.
Machel and Azara Graham were advised to take their newborn baby girl to A&E after signs of a serious respiratory illness were spotted.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 1, 2021
They did not do so and now their whereabouts is unknown.
If you know where they are, please call 999 (ref 21MIS011809)https://t.co/8igqyY3aSB
“I would also appeal directly to Azara and Machel to do the right thing and to go to the nearest A&E so that Baby Graham can get the care she needs.”
Anyone who sees Baby Graham or knows where she or her parents are should call 999, providing the reference 21MIS011809.
Anyone with other information that could assist officers should call 101.
