'I am determined that this little baby is given an appropriate and dignified funeral.'
Police investigating the remains of a baby found under floorboards during a renovation have said the child died more than 100 years ago in suspicious circumstances.
The skeleton of the newborn was found at a house in Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, County Durham last week, wrapped in newspaper and with twine around its neck.
Investigators were able to identify a fragment of the paper, which dates back to 1910, making the child likely older than 100 years.
Forensic examination has established that the baby was full term at 40 weeks, but its gender is unknown.
Police say further forensic tests are taking place over the coming weeks, including carbon dating, to confirm the initial findings.
Detectives from Durham Constabulary are trying to find out who lived in the property at the time of the baby’s death.
The building dates to Victorian period and at one stage housed a church-run mother and baby unit, but it is believed that the baby was concealed before that time.
The grim discovery was made by contractors renovating a pair of flats on the street at around 11.15am on July 28.
DCI Mel Sutherland said: ‘The evidence suggests this has happened a very long time ago, which makes investigating the circumstances extremely difficult, but we still have a duty to that baby.
‘My focus is on finding out who the baby is, what happened and how it came to be under the floorboards of that house.
‘As soon as we are able to, I am determined that this little baby is given an appropriate and dignified funeral.’
Police say they are now gathering historical information about the house’s ownership from 1900 to 1920, including securing records and tracing family trees to potentially identify any living relatives.
The force has asked for anyone with information to get in touch.
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