Baby skeleton found under floorboards believed to be more than 100 years old

The skeleton of a baby found underneath floorboards by property renovation contractors is believed to be more than 100 years old, police have said.

The human remains were found wrapped in a newspaper that has deteriorated over the decades at an address in Fore Bondgate in Bishop Auckland on July 29.

Durham Constabulary said investigators have been able to identify a fragment of the paper which dated back to 1910 and believe the body has been undisturbed since the early 20th century.

Forensic examination established that the baby was full term at 40 weeks, but was unable to firmly establish the gender, the force added.

Police said officers identified twine wrapped around the infant’s neck – indicating that the cause of death is likely to have been suspicious, while further forensic tests, including carbon dating, will be carried out over the coming weeks to confirm the initial findings.

Detectives are attempting to trace family trees and historic records for the building between 1900 and 1920 to establish who lived there at the time and to identify any living relatives.

The Victorian property formerly housed a church-run mother and baby unit, according to police, but investigators believe the baby was concealed before that time.

Officers searched the building following the discovery and found no other human remains were present, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Mel Sutherland, from Durham Constabulary, said: “The evidence suggests this has happened a very long time ago, which makes investigating the circumstances extremely difficult, but we still have a duty to that baby.

“My focus is on finding out who the baby is, what happened and how it came to be under the floorboards of that house.

“As soon as we are able to, I am determined that this little baby is given an appropriate and dignified funeral.”

Anyone with information regarding 67 Fore Bondgate is asked to phone 101 and quote incident number DHM-29072024-0127.