Newborn baby girl is found dead in a pub toilet: Police launch urgent hunt for mother after discovery during Sunday lunch service
- Body discovered at 4.45pm in the Three Horse Shoes in Oulton, near Leeds
- The pub is said to have been busy at the time with customers for the Sunday carvery
A newborn baby girl was found dead in a cafe toilet as customers had their Sunday lunch, with police now urgently searching for her mother.
The small body was discovered at 4.45pm in the Three Horse Shoes in Oulton, near Leeds, while the pub was reportedly busy with customers for the carvery.
West Yorkshire Police today appealed for the baby’s mother to come forward or seek medical help and said detectives were investigating the ‘tragic’ incident.
Paramedics on the scene confirmed the baby had died, and officers said their “main priority remains the welfare and safety of the mother.”
West Yorkshire Police are investigating the Three Horse Shoes pub in Oulton last night
Police cars and vans outside the Three Horse Shoes pub in Oulton after the incident
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, of West Yorkshire Police’s large investigation team, said this morning: ‘This is a tragic incident and we are urgently appealing to the baby girl’s mother to contact us or seek medical attention as she has gone through an extremely traumatic ordeal. and may need treatment itself.
‘If the mother is comfortable talking to the police she can do so by calling or using 101 Live chat online to talk to us remotely.
‘If she does not wish to speak to the police, she can contact the Leeds Maternity Assessment Unit on 0113 3926731.
‘Our investigation into the incident remains ongoing today with NHS partners, but our main priority remains the welfare and safety of the mother.’
The pub apologized to customers on Facebook last night. One post said: ‘I’ve been writing post after post for the past hour, but I don’t think it’s the best time given the circumstances right now.
The girl’s body was discovered at the Three Horse Shoes in Oulton, near Leeds (file photo)
A view of the Three Horse Shoes pub in Oulton, where the discovery was made (file photo)
The pub apologized to customers on Facebook last night after the incident
“We are sure there is speculation about something that happened at our establishment this evening. All I can say at this point is that I’m sorry for everyone who was with us at the time this happened and for everyone who was supposed to come in and couldn’t.
‘A huge thank you to those who helped us when we were struggling as a team, it really doesn’t go unappreciated. Lots of love, Team Three Horse Shoes.”
Staff were said to have been ‘visibly distressed’ by the discovery, but continued to work in ‘clearly distressing conditions’.
Lee Connor told the pub’s staff on Facebook: ‘You were absolutely amazing and everyone understands that you need time to process and be with your friends and family to release what has been a nightmare of a situation.’
And Nicole Connor commented: ‘The staff all did a great job of somehow coping with the most difficult situation they could face without causing alarm and panic among the customers, which is not an easy task given the situation is a task.’