Police in England are urgently searching for a woman and her newborn baby after she reportedly gave birth in an East London underpass and then disappeared later the same day.
According to a news release, the Metropolitan Police received a call around 4:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday, July 30, reporting that a woman had delivered a baby earlier that morning—around 8 a.m.—at the Billet Road underpass in Walthamstow.
“A [witness] was alerted when she heard sounds of distress in the underpass,” authorities said.
Police noted that the witness helped deliver the baby and remained with the mother until about 4 p.m., when the woman and her infant were picked up by two individuals in a blue transit van.
The missing woman is believed to be homeless, white, in her mid-30s, with long blonde hair. At the time, she was wearing a black dress and a heavy jumper. She is thought to go by the name Anne Marie. Authorities emphasized they are “extremely concerned for the welfare” of both the mother and her newborn.
Dan Cooper, a local officer from the North East [London] Missing Persons Hub, stated, “Our top priority is to establish that the woman and her baby are safe and well, and have access to any medical treatment they may need.”
He stressed, “I would like to emphasize that the woman is not in any trouble—our only concern is the wellbeing of her and her newborn child.”
Cooper added that officers are pursuing several investigative leads, including reviewing CCTV footage, speaking with residents, and checking nearby hospitals.
“I’d also like to appeal to anyone who may have been in the area at the time and saw or heard anything to come forward,” he said, encouraging anyone who was “walking or cycling through the underpass” or nearby areas to contact the authorities if they have information.
He also noted that if the woman is hesitant to speak with police, she can seek help directly at a medical center or through organizations like Street Link, a service in England that allows people to notify local authorities when they see someone sleeping rough.
As of Friday morning, Aug. 1, the Metropolitan Police confirmed to PEOPLE that there were no further updates.
