Body of a newborn baby boy is found at recycling centre as detectives launch search for mother 

A newborn baby whose body was found at a recycling centre has been identified as caucasian but a post mortem will need to be carried out to identify the cause of his death.

Detectives today launched a desperate appeal to find the boy’s mother after the discovery by a member of staff at the Amey Waterbeach plant in Cambridge.

There are immediate concerns for her physical and mental wellbeing. 

It’s too early for investigators to say how old the baby was or how long he may have been at the location before he was found yesterday. 

But Detective Superintendent John Massey said he was ‘recently born’, noting it is ‘an incredibly sad and upsetting incident for everyone involved’.

Police are appealing for information and say they are keeping an open mind after the body was found on the site in Ely Road.

‘We can’t go into detail as to how long the boy had been deceased or how long he was in that location. That is something we are examining,’ Det Supt Massey said. 

The recycling centre in Waterbeach, Cambridge, where the body of a newborn baby was discovered on Tuesday

‘We would like to make a direct appeal to the baby boy’s mother to get in touch with us – it may be she needs medical care or is in a vulnerable situation. 

‘We are trying our hardest to get to the bottom of what has taken place but we cannot do that alone, so I would also appeal to the public for their help. 

‘Any information, no matter how small, could help the investigation run by our specialist child safeguarding team; even if that is given anonymously to us or Crimestoppers.’

Det Supt Massey also could not comment on whether the body was found with any clothing or items along with it.

The crime scene at Amey Waterbeach recycling centre has now been returned to the owners as the police have ‘finished conducting thorough fingertip searches of the immediate environment’.

Investigators hope specialist post-mortem involving paediatric pathologists will clarify how the boy died and how long he had been at the recycling centre.

The centre is off an A road significantly outside of Waterbeach, Cambs, the nearest town, and surrounded by fields.

Det Supt Massey said: ‘It is possible the child had been transported there, however the means and occasion on which this occurred is completely unknown.

Police are appealing for information and say they are keeping an open mind after the body was found at noon on the site in Ely Road

The site offers services to local residents and businesses, including skip and bin hire and waste collection 

The Waste Management Park is on a 400-acre site about three miles north of Cambridge

‘We are employing a specialist-trained child safeguarding team who are working around the clock to look at different information we have, and progressing inquiries as quickly as possible.

‘We are looking with the mother so we can provide her with the support she needs and identifying the circumstances that the poor child came to be at that location.’

Meanwhile, the staff at the centre are being offered support from the centre and police services.

A spokesman for Amey Waterbeach today said they had been instructed not to comment while the investigation is ongoing.

The Waste Management Park is on a 400-acre site about three miles north of Cambridge.

The site offers services to local residents and businesses, including skip and bin hire and waste collection.