A woman has vanished with her newborn baby after giving birth in an east London underpass and being picked up by two people in a blue Transit van, police said.
The new mother, who is believed to be called Anne Marie, was helped by a passer-by in the Billet Road underpass in Walthamstow at around 8am on Wednesday. The member of the public helped the woman as she gave birth and stayed with her until around 4pm, when she and her baby were picked up in the van.
Police believe she is sleeping rough, and described her as white, in her mid-30s, with long blonde hair. She was wearing a black dress and heavy jumper at the time.
Pc Dan Cooper said: “Our top priority is to establish that the woman and her baby are safe and well and have access to any medical treatment they may need. I would like to stress that the woman is not in any trouble, our only concern is the wellbeing of her and her newborn child.
“We are carrying out fast-paced inquiries, including trawling CCTV, speaking to people in the area and visiting nearby hospitals. I’d also like to appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen or heard something to come forward.
“Were you walking or cycling through the underpass or at the nearby Kwik Fit garage? If so, please get in touch with us. If the woman does not feel comfortable speaking to us, she can go directly to a medical centre or a charity.”
Anyone with information can call the Met’s North East area Local Missing Hub on 07881 330956, or call 101 quoting reference CAD 5617/30JUL.
To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.
