Police say baby remains found in Greater Manchester are those of a newborn girl

The remains of a baby found in a field in Greater Manchester last week have been identified as a newborn girl.

The remains were found on November 20 near Ashtons Field in the Little Hulton area of Salford by a dog walker.

Greater Manchester Police said the cause of death is not yet known following a post-mortem examination.

The force has named the girl Ava.

Over the past seven days, officers have conducted house-to-house and CCTV enquiries, plus liaising with local and national partners to try and determine exactly what happened to Ava.

Officers are looking to close the scene at Ashtons Field this weekend, however their enquiries will continue.

The touching tributes left by members of the community will be cleaned and donated to children’s charities in Ava’s name.

Detective Chief Inspector Charlotte Whalley said:

“We know that this case has touched the hearts of many people across Greater Manchester, and like you, we’re determined to find out what happened to this little girl.

“As part of our enquiries, we’re working to establish who Ava’s mum is, and all the possible scenarios and circumstances which have led to Ava being separated from her mum.

“We are continuing to appeal for her mum, who may require medical assistance, or her family to come forwards and speak to us. We believe that there is someone out there now who knows what happened. You may not have felt confident to come forward yet, but please know that we have trained officers ready to support you, no matter what the circumstances are, please get in touch.

“I would also like to thank the community for their support as we continue our appeals for information. We are now asking you to cast your minds back to previous months, perhaps you heard something, or saw something that didn’t feel right. It may have seemed insignificant at the time, but knowing what you know now, come forward. It could be crucial to finding the truth for Ava.”

Where the child was found in the field is close to a road layby near warehouses and not far from two junctions of the M61 motorway, north west of Manchester.

Last week, police said the baby was wrapped in a pink fabric, and detectives were working with soil experts, archaeologists and anthropologists to try to establish how long the child's body had been there before it was found.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 1319 of 20/11/24. Information can also be shared via a Major Incident Public Portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP24S90-PO1

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