Police want a mum to get in touch after human placenta found in park | UK News

Crimestoppers are offering a £5,000 reward for any information after the gruesome discovery of a human placenta in a public park. 

The grim find was made in the Holly Brook Park area of Southampton on June 21. Local authorities have expressed ‘extreme concern’ over the welfare of the mother and her child. 

Police have also launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, described as a likely case of ‘unlawful concealment of birth’.

So far, two women have been arrested but released without charge. 

Beth Simpson, regional manager for Crimestoppers Hampshire, said: ‘There is increasing concern for the well-being of the baby and its mother, who are yet to be found.

‘We are urging anyone who may know something to contact our charity anonymously as soon as possible.

‘We have put up this reward as it is believed that someone may know or suspect who the mother is and we hope it will prompt someone to speak to us.

‘Crimestoppers, which is completely independent of the police, keeps its promise of 100% anonymity to more than a thousand people who trust us with their crime information every single day.

‘Share what you know by calling our UK contact centre on freephone 0800 555 111, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or use our website’s secure anonymous online form. No-one will ever know you contacted us.

‘We cannot trace your call or track your IP address and we never ask for or record any personal information.’

Elizabeth Pirie, Detective Chief Inspector with Hampshire Police, said: ‘We hope the mother and baby are safe, but we cannot exclude the possibility that one or both have come to harm.

‘We are aware that this publicity may cause the mother to be reluctant to come forward, however we expect that were the mother intending to and capable of contacting the authorities, she would have done so by now.

‘We are keeping a very open mind about the many scenarios that could have led to the placenta being discovered and ask for the public’s help in finding out what has happened here.

‘We sincerely hope the mother and baby we are looking for are safe and well.

‘We continue to ask for the public’s help and to share information about anyone they suspect of having given birth in these circumstances.’

The placenta was discovered by a teenage boy while walking to school with two friends. 

Jamie Clarke, 16, told local press at the time: ‘At first, I thought it was a bit of an animal but when we saw it, it didn’t look like an animal. 

‘It just didn’t look like it, it was too big, so we decided to call the police.’

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