RENEWED APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ON MISSING COUPLE AND NEWBORN BABY

Detectives are appealing to the public to report any sightings of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon to the police, as they continue their investigation to locate the missing couple and their newborn baby.

It is now more than six weeks since the car Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were travelling in was found on fire on the hard-shoulder of the M61 on Thursday, 5 January.

It is believed Constance gave birth either in or near the car only a day or two earlier. Neither the baby nor Constance have received any medical attention. It is unknown if the baby was full-term or has any health issues, which is why officers remain committed to finding the family.

The last confirmed sighting of them was at about 06:15hrs on Sunday, 8 January, when they walked along Cantercrow Hill, in Newhaven, into the fields beyond. However, given the time that has passed they could have moved on some considerable distance since then.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the Met’s East Area Command said: 

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“My officers and I remain absolutely committed to finding Constance, Mark and their newborn baby. We’ve been working around the clock behind the scenes and we’ve viewed more than 630 hours of CCTV as part of our efforts to find them.

“Information from the public has been vital to our investigation and we have received more than 350 calls to our dedicated incident room – thank you to everyone who has made contact with us so far, we are so grateful to you.

“While sadly these calls have not yet led to the couple and their baby being found, it could take just that one call into us with the right information, at the right time, to help us find the family and make sure they are okay.

“We are continuing to offer a reward of up to £10,000 for any information that leads to the family being found. So please, if you have information and have not yet come forward or if you think you have seen them, please contact the incident room without delay. Please only call 999 if you are with them or can see them at the time, otherwise call the incident room number.

“They could be absolutely anywhere in the UK, so we need everyone to remain vigilant. When they were last sighted on 8 January they were in the possession of a blue two-man tent, so please keep your eyes peeled, especially while you are out and about in waste ground or beauty spots, or while you’re walking the dog.

“Please be mindful that they might not always be out and about together. It could be that you just see Constance or Mark out by themselves getting supplies while the other is wherever they are staying with the baby.

“I would like to stress that we are not doing this and putting so many resources and efforts into finding the family just to be awkward or to interfere. We have a genuine concern for the health and wellbeing of the baby, and Constance and Mark, and it our duty to ensure that they are okay.”

 

Anyone who has information on the family’s whereabouts should call the incident room on 020 7175 0785.

Alternatively, information can be reported 100 percent anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They never ask for personal details and they do not trace your device.

Timeline

The investigation started when officers were called to a car on fire on the hard-shoulder of the M61, near junction four (Farnworth, Bolton) at 18:33hrs on Thursday, 5 January. The occupants were not at the scene. It is believed most of their belongings were destroyed in the car fire.

Enquiries revealed that Constance and Mark were the occupants of the car and that Constance had very recently given birth, possibly one or two days before, and had not been assessed by medical professionals.

A missing person’s investigation was launched by Greater Manchester Police, who established that the family left the vehicle and the motorway safely – walking to the Anchor Lane bridge which links the Highfield and Little Hulton areas.

Officers believe they then travelled to Liverpool and then onwards to Harwich via a taxi at about 03:30hrs on Friday, 6 January.

Mark, Constance and a baby were seen by a member of the public in Harwich at about 09:00hrs on Saturday, 7 January. Officers also received a number of confirmed sightings of the family in Colchester on Friday, 6 January and Saturday, 7 January.

Subsequently, the investigation was handed over to Essex Police on Monday, 9 January.

Essex Police carried out a number of enquiries and reviewed hours of CCTV and were able to place the couple near East Ham Station between 10:30hrs and 12:30hrs on Saturday, 7 January. As this was the last confirmed sighting of the family at the time, the investigation was handed over to the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday, 12 January.

Detectives then established that they took a taxi from East Ham, being dropped off in Whitechapel Road at 18:14hrs on Saturday, 7 January.

The couple were seen leaving the taxi with an orange carrier bag and a pram. They both had their heads and faces covered and Mark was wearing white plastic bags on his shoes, which he removed a short time later.

At 18:19hrs Mark went into Argos on Whitechapel Road, E1, and bought two big bags full of items, paying in cash, including a blue two-man tent, two sleeping bags and two pillows – which sparked fears they have been camping, including at times when the temperature plummeted to sub-zero.

They spent the next few hours walking along the Whitechapel Road area, where they tried to flag down three taxis but were refused. They then walked to the Brick Lane area.

At about 23:46hrs on Saturday, January 7 they then went to Flower and Dean Walk near Brick Lane where they dumped a number of items, including the pushchair. They then got a taxi to Haringey.

At 01:24hrs on Sunday, 8 January, they got in another taxi in Allison Road, Haringey, and travelled to Newhaven, where they were dropped off just outside the port at 04:56hrs.

They then walked to where the A259 crosses over the B2109. They were seen sheltering from the rain, under the overpass, at about 06:00hrs.

At around 06:15hrs on Sunday, 8 January, they walked along Cantercrow Hill into the fields beyond. They were carrying a number of bags and their blue tent, and officers believe they have been camping in the area subsequently, although given the time that’s passed they could have moved on some considerable distance.

Photo ©: London MET Police