Woman, 57, arrested on suspicion of murder over death of newborn baby girl over 40 years ago

COPS have arrested a 57-year-old woman on suspicion of murder over the death of a newborn baby girl found in 1982.

The 57-year-old suspect was detained by Northamptonshire Police on Tuesday morning and has now been bailed pending further inquiries.

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A major police investigation began after the body of the newborn was found in Northampton back in May 1982.

However, nobody was prosecuted and the inquiry closed in 1993.

But over four decades later, new evidence surfaced in 2023 following a cold case review by Northamptonshire Police - which led to this week's arrest.

Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell, from the major crime team of the east midlands special operations unit, said: "This has been an extremely complex investigation into events that happened more than four decades ago and a great deal of work has gone in to getting us to this point.

"Dozens of officers from both Northamptonshire Police and our colleagues in the region, have been involved in the operation over the past 48 hours or more and I would like to thank all of them for their work."

The inquiry remains live and Northamptonshire Police will not be making any further comment at this time, he added.

It is understood the baby was found strangled and wrapped in cloth near Northampton railway station.

She was buried in Towcester Road cemetery in November 1982 but did not get a headstone until 2019 after a campaign by a former local vicar, according to the Northampton Chronicle & Echo.