Bangor: police appeal for photos of the Siliwen shore after a newborn girl was found dead
North Wales Police want photos or video of the Menai Strait shore at Siliwen taken between 30 August and 27 September, and have opened a confidential line for the baby’s mother.
By
Lowri Evans
North Wales Police are asking people who know the Bangor waterfront to look through their phones and cameras. Officers want photographs or video of the Siliwen shore of the Menai Strait taken between 30 August and 27 September, in the hope that the material helps them trace the mother of a newborn girl whose body was discovered on 27 September.
In brief
- The appeal was reported on 9 October by WalesOnline and, under a headline describing a fresh appeal, by the Daily Post .
- The Daily Post puts the aim in plain terms: officers hope that pictures or video of the area across the four weeks before the discovery may offer clues to the identity of the mother or of others.
- The appeal does not ask for opinions or theories, only for dated images and for contact from anyone who regularly used the area during those weeks.
The appeal was reported on 9 October by WalesOnline and, under a headline describing a fresh appeal, by the Daily Post. Both outlets carry the same police wording, which is quoted below where the force speaks directly.
The baby was found on the shoreline off Siliwen Road in Bangor, Gwynedd, according to the press reports; the police’s own major incident notice places the spot just off Gorad Road, Bangor. According to WalesOnline, a Home Office pathologist, Dr Brian Rodgers, carried out a postmortem examination, and early findings pointed to her body having spent as long as several weeks in the water. Neither report says how she died or how she came to be at the water’s edge, and neither names any person involved. Police have not described any suspect or arrest.
Who police want to hear from
Two requests are made of the public. First, a force spokesperson asked regular walkers around Siliwen Road, or the Ashley Fields part of Bangor, to get in touch if they were there from 30 August until 27 September. Second, Superintendent Llinos Davies asked anyone holding images of the shoreline to send them in. In her words, “any image could be relevant”, even one that the person who took it thinks insignificant, because every upload will be reviewed to judge whether it is useful to the enquiry.
The Daily Post puts the aim in plain terms: officers hope that pictures or video of the area across the four weeks before the discovery may offer clues to the identity of the mother or of others. The superintendent added that officers continue to work “tirelessly” on local enquiries and are liaising with national experts to establish what happened to the baby.
For readers in Caernarfon and elsewhere in Gwynedd, the practical point is the date window. The request covers a period of about four weeks, so holiday photographs, dog-walking snapshots or dashcam footage from the area could fall inside it. Police have said that such images are to be uploaded to a major incident public portal, not sent to the press or posted publicly; the Daily Post prints the portal address, mipp.police.uk.
A confidential line for the mother
Police have also opened a dedicated phone line for the baby’s mother, staffed by a specialist who is available at all times and who can be reached by call or text. Superintendent Davies addressed her directly, acknowledging that she may be scared to come forward, urging her to make contact and stating that her welfare remains the force’s utmost concern.
According to the reports, whoever picks up has specialist training and will only listen and offer help, so the call is nothing to fear. She would be treated, the superintendent said, with compassion, dignity and respect. The number given is 07974 241223, and police say it is strictly for the mother to use when seeking specialist help.
If calling feels too hard, the force suggests another first step: telling someone she trusts, such as a friend, a relative, a neighbour or a healthcare professional, who can help her reach out.
Other ways to share information
- Police: anyone with immediate concerns can ring 101 and quote Operation Melex.
- Online portal: a Major Incident Public Portal lets people with relevant information contact officers directly.
- Crimestoppers: the independent charity can be called anonymously.
- Health board service: the Peoples Enquiry and resolution service takes calls Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, on 03000 851 234.
Because the circumstances are not established, readers are best placed to help by passing on anything concrete through these official channels, not by speculating about what happened. The appeal does not ask for opinions or theories, only for dated images and for contact from anyone who regularly used the area during those weeks.
Featured image. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Menai_Strait_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5511696.jpg. Credit: Andrew Woodvine. License: CC BY-SA 2.0.
