Constance Marten and partner charged with manslaughter after baby’s body found in woods

The couple is due to appear in court today

Constance Marten and her partner, Mark Gordon, have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter after the remains of a baby were found in an area of woodland in Brighton amid fears the tot "may have been dead for several weeks". Remains were found on Wednesday night after a major two-day search operation in Sussex that followed their arrest in Brighton on Monday night. The Met said a post-mortem examination would take place Friday. The baby's gender is yet to be established and police have said it is "too early" to determine an exact time of death. Marten, 35, and Gordon, 48, were arrested on Stanmer Villas in Brighton, having been reported missing on January 5 after their car broke down near junction four of the M61, near Bolton. They then actively avoided authorities until their arrest - sleeping rough, and changing locations often. Their baby had gone without medical attention since its birth. Marten, who is from a wealthy family with royal links, has lived an isolated life with Gordon since they met in 2016. When Gordon was 15, he was arrested and found guilty of kidnap and sexual battery, and later sentenced to 20 years jail. The Crown Prosecution Service said the aristocrat and Gordon are also accused of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. They are due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Police on Thursday said they have been unable to confirm the gender of the baby who "may have been dead for some time before they were found". Detective superintendent Lewis Basford said: "It's too early for us to provide a specific date because we believe the death occurred during the course of a missing persons investigation, we have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office of Police (IOPC) Conduct, this is a standard protocol for such circumstances." The IOPC said in a statement that it is “currently assessing the referral to determine what, if any, further action is required from us”. Police had long feared for the child's safety due to a lack of medical attention and sub-zero temperatures. Days before her arrest, Marten is said to have made a visit to Brighton Food Bank. One worker said they did not ask for anything for an infant, even though they had ample supplies of nappies and baby food, the Mail reported.

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