Woman, 34, charged with murder after newborn baby found dead in back garden

4 October 2022, 15:04 | Updated: 4 October 2022, 15:22

Stock image of police officers
Stock image of police officers. Picture: Alamy

By Tim Dodd

A woman has been charged with murder after a newborn baby was found dead in a garden in Weston-super-Mare.

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Police were sent to the home following the grim discovery on December 12, 2020.

Sarah Jayne Barron, 34, has now been charged with murder and will appear at Taunton Magistrates' court today.

The force had launched a frantic search for the baby's mother amid fears she could require medical attention.

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They later confirmed she had been found and taken to hospital.

Officers said at the time they were treating the baby's death as unexplained.

A man, who’d previously been arrested in connection with the investigation has been released without charge, with no further action being taken against him.

Senior Investigative Officer Detective Superintendent Gary Haskins, said: "This is a significant development in what has been a complex and sensitive investigation.

"We know this update will impact on the local community where the incident happened, and we'd encourage anyone with concerns or worries to speak to their local Neighbourhood Policing team.

"We've worked closely with our colleagues at the Crown Prosecution Service throughout, resulting in the authorisation to charge a woman with one count of murder."

The CPS the murder charge had been authorised followed a "detailed investigation" by police.

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