Detectives quiz women, 39, 20, 21, over Buckland baby death as search continues

Investigators arrested the trio, 39, 21 and 20, on Tuesday morning in Portsmouth over the death of an infant girl found dead on January 25.

Sniffer dogs were searching the property in the eight-home terraced cul-de-sac in All Saints Road.

The home is just a minute’s walk through a warren of Buckland’s side streets to where the baby was found months earlier wrapped in a yellow towel at the corner of Victoria Street and Old Commercial Road.

Once the three-storey home had been swept by police dog handlers a seven-strong search team entered at around 12.40pm as detectives watched on.

Hampshire police’s major crime team, who previously spoke to All Saints Road residents, are holding the Portsmouth women in custody for questioning.

On Wednesday police confirmed they had been given extra time to question the three women.

Nearby neighbour Teck Tay, 50, said: ‘I was shocked with what’s happening around in my neighbourhood.’

Abu Sohel, 32, who lives in the same terraced block, added: ‘I’m shocked that this is so near my house.’

Just yards away from the police activity, Old Commercial Road was silent today – with few people walking through.

None of the women has been named by police. Officers had gone door-to-door at 800 homes in the first month of the major investigation.

A police spokeswoman said: ‘This has been a long and complex investigation, which has involved many hours of police work following numerous lines of enquiry.

‘As with any investigation this has involved extensive house-to-house enquiries, hours of CCTV analysis from many different locations, detailed forensic work, that includes DNA testing and work alongside our community partners.

‘We are not in a position to confirm what has led us to these arrests today as this is a live investigation and we must ensure the integrity of the investigation as it progresses.’

Det Chief Insp Simon Baker, in a statement released on Tuesday, said: ‘We know that this case was upsetting for a lot of people within the community and we want to reassure you that our officers are trained to deal with sensitive investigations such as this, which can often be very complex, and will do what is needed to get the right outcome for all those involved.

‘While we know that many of you will have questions, we hope you will understand that we are not in a position to provide any further details while this investigation continues to progress. When we are in a position where we can update further, we will.

‘Our officers will be conducting enquiries in the city today, so if you have any concerns or information that could help, please speak to them.’

Police previously said they were concerned for the mother’s welfare. No afterbirth was found at the scene near the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum.

Five people wanted early on after being spotted on CCTV between 5am and 6.18am on January 25 were ruled out as passers-by.

A post mortem was inconclusive.

National Crime Agency experts in geographical profiling were drafted in. This is a technique police use to try and narrow down where a person may live.

Flowers and soft toys were left near the spot where the child was found.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting 44200030626, or visit mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC20E02-PO1

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