Abandoned baby Elsa's progress 'astonishing', court told

A baby girl who was abandoned more than a year ago in east London is thriving, a Family Court has heard.

Judge Carol Atkinson said it was "astonishing" that Baby Elsa was doing so well.

The baby was found on the coldest night of the year in 2024, and hospital staff named her after the character in the film Frozen.

Last June, the BBC revealed that Baby Elsa is the third child of the same parents to be abandoned within seven years in the same area of London.

Baby Elsa was left inside a Boots carrier bag near the Greenway footpath in east London, on 18 January 2024. She was discovered by a dog walker.

Doctors could not take her temperature for three hours because she was so cold, although she was crying and responsive.

They estimated she had been abandoned at about an hour old.

Despite this very difficult start, Elsa is doing well and is currently in foster care. Her name has since been changed.

East London Family Court heard earlier this month that she is "meeting all her developmental milestones" and taking her first steps.

The court also heard that Elsa's social worker, from the London Borough of Newham, described her checks on the baby as "the best visits ever".

One of her siblings, Roman, was found in similar circumstances in a play area off Roman Road, Newham, in late January 2019.

The other sibling, Harry, was found wrapped in a white blanket in Balaam Street, Plaistow, in September 2017.

Like Elsa, both were abandoned very shortly after birth. They have both been adopted and their names changed.

The local authority cannot register Elsa's birth while the police investigation is active. Without that, the local authority cannot complete its evidence before the family court and seek its approval for her adoption.

The court previously heard that officials were "very concerned" about the delay.

The police search for the babies' birth mother and father continues.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police have been working with subject matter experts at the National Crime Agency. Last month they made a new appeal for information.

Det Insp Jamie Humm said police "have serious concerns for the wellbeing of the parents, especially the mother".

He urged people to contact the police if they had any information, however small.

A reward of £20,000 is being offered by Crimestoppers.