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The court was informed that a couple had fled a burning vehicle with their newborn baby and a charred placenta was discovered among the remains.
Recently, the Metropolitan Police shared new images on Monday that were presented to a jury during the ongoing trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon. The photos depict a Peugeot 206 engulfed in flames on the M61. Scattered on the ground near the destroyed car are torn clothing and empty bottles.
According to the court, a female individual was observed scaling the barrier on the motorway.
According to the trial, a burned-out vehicle contained a placenta among other objects that were charred.
Marten, 39, and Gordon, 49, reportedly used taxis and lived off the grid for several months following their car catching fire. They were eventually arrested in East Sussex on February 27th of the previous year.
The pair were purportedly driven by a “selfish” wish to retain custody of their newborn daughter, Victoria, following the removal of four other children from their care.
Jurors were informed that the defendants had traveled through England by taxi and eventually settled in an off-grid lifestyle before being apprehended in East Sussex in February of last year.
Discarded clothing and empty bottles littered the ground next to the wrecked car.
According to the Old Bailey, several days after the incident, their offspring was discovered deceased in a Lidl grocery bag, surrounded by garbage, within an abandoned shed.
A person from the general public reported encountering the pair near Harwich port in Essex on Monday, after seeing a news segment about their vanishing.
During a walk with his dog, Dale Gosling saw the defendants sitting on a flower planter and recognized them from television, according to his testimony to the jurors.
“The temperature was extremely low,” he remarked. “There was a layer of frozen water on the ground and a noticeable coldness in the atmosphere. It was a brisk January morning to say the least.”
Footage of the couple’s car burning on the M61
According to Mr. Gosling, the infant was wearing a white onesie and was wrapped in Marten’s coat, covered with either a towel or blanket.
According to Mr. Gosling, her cry was one that he could not ignore.
Joel Smith, the prosecutor, inquired, “Did the infant sound distressed to you?”
According to Mr. Gosling, the answer is a resounding yes.
The security camera footage depicts the damaged vehicle.
During his testimony, Mr. Gosling mentioned his interaction with the couple by stating, “I asked them, ‘Pardon me, are you the individuals who have been featured on television as missing with a newborn?'”
“I cannot recall his precise phrasing, but he refuted it. I proposed giving them a ride to the hospital. He stated that he was acting in the best interest of his child, striving to keep his family intact and do what was morally correct.”
“They mentioned having plans and being confident in their decision. They shared their intention to visit London, possibly to reunite with loved ones.”
According to the trial, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were driven by selfish motives in their effort to retain custody of their daughter Victoria.
Mr. Gosling felt an urge to turn back and address them once more because something seemed off.
The man stated that the infant was crying “continuously” while Marten held her and attempted to calm her down.
According to Mr. Gosling, he proposed to provide a ride home for the couple, offer them a cup of tea, and then take them to the hospital.
He stated that even though he believed his wife would be very upset about the idea, he believed it was the right thing to do based on moral principles.
“Ms Marten, she seemed compliant, she was willing to come, maybe have a cup of tea, maybe get a lift to the hospital. She seems a bit swayed,” he said.
“Despite Mr. Gordon’s insistence that he was fine, he had a plan to go to London and stay with his loved ones.”
The individuals, who do not have a permanent residence, have pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing the death of the young girl due to gross negligence. The alleged incident occurred between January 4th and February 27th of the previous year.
They are additionally accused of obstructing justice, concealing a child’s birth, abusing a child, and being responsible for or permitting a child’s death.
The trial at Old Bailey was postponed until Tuesday morning.
Source: independent.co.uk
