Dead baby found at UK mosque

Some reports say the baby was still alive ~ and had spent hours outside in the cold ~ then was rushed to hospital. Police, reports say, assumed the baby was dead because of the note. +

A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried on a baby found at an Islamic Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.

The baby was found by members of the Makki Masjid mosque in Shelton.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the initial assessment of the scene by Staffordshire Police on Saturday.

Mosque members claimed police did not look inside the bag in which the baby was found for 45 minutes after arriving at the scene.

'Family honour'
Police said the ethnicity of the baby had yet to be established and renewed an appeal for the mother to come forward.

Satinder Penesar, a domestic services manager for Refuge, a UK-wide charity which runs a domestic violence helpline, also appealed for the mother to come forward.

She said there could be a number of reasons why women from an ethnic minority did not come forward for help from support services.

"The reasons might involve the honour of the family, the community or the extended family," she said.

The baby boy was found wrapped in a carrier bag with two items of clothing, one a white t-shirt.
The bundle included two £10 notes and a note which said "Please help bury him," and an Arabic word for thank you.

Police would also like to speak to anyone in the area on Friday evening and up to 0630 GMT on Saturday.

BBC