Murdered ‘Baby April’ reburied after DNA success

A private burial service has taken place for a baby girl whose body was exhumed as part of a cold-case investigation into her murder 16 years ago.

Detectives from the team trying to discover who killed the child, named Baby April, attended the service at Bybrook Cemetery in Ashford, Kent, on Thursday.

Colourful flowers were laid around the final resting place of the girl, and a metal plate engraved with the words “Baby April” marked her grave.

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April’s body was found by a couple walking alongside Singleton Lake in Ashford on April 3, 1995.

The baby, thought to have been born between March 26 and that day, was wrapped in Kleenex toilet tissue inside a Motaworld carrier bag and weighed 7lb (3kg). A post-mortem examination found she died from asphyxiation.

Despite a large-scale inquiry by murder squad detectives, the parents of the baby were not identified and no one has been charged over her death.

Officers reopened the inquiry into her death in March this year in the hope that advances in scientific techniques would help solve the case.

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As part of the renewed investigation, they were given permission to exhume the body by a coroner to gain a DNA profile.

Detective Inspector Dave Withers, of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate’s cold case team, said yesterday: “The forensic examination is now complete and we have therefore left baby April to rest in peace.

“I am really pleased with the progress of this investigation so far. With the help of our forensic science providers, we now have a full DNA profile of the child. Our next step is to identify the parents of the baby.”

He appealed for anyone with information to contact police, and he made a direct plea for the mother to come forward, saying she will be treated “sensitively and compassionately”.

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Mr Withers added: “Now that we have a DNA profile, it is easy for us to exclude potential suspects with a quick DNA test.

“We want to hear from anyone who may have information regarding baby April. We are particularly keen to appeal to the baby’s mother. We want to hear from you and hear your side of the story. We understand you may be worried or frightened by what happened. You may have been a young girl at the time and you may not have been alone.

“I urge you to contact me. I have specially-trained staff who you can speak to. They will listen to what you have to say and you will be dealt with sensitively and compassionately.”

Anyone with any information can contact officers on 01634 884044 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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