Constance Marten latest news: Constance Marten and Mark Gordon charged with manslaughter of their baby

Runaway couple Constance Marten and Mark Gordon have been charged with manslaughter of their baby.

Barry Hughes, chief prosecutor for the CPS London North, said the CPS authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge the couple after the baby’s body was found in the woods on Wednesday.

“Constance Marten, 35, and Mark Gordon, 48, have also been accused of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. These charges follow her arrest on Monday as a result of a lengthy police investigation to establish her and her baby’s whereabouts.

“The prosecution reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are pending and that they have the right to a fair trial.”

Police have confirmed the remains of a baby in Sussex were discovered by officers and not a member of the public.

Reports on Thursday suggested the child was spotted by a member of the public after a major two-day search in Sussex.

However, police confirmed that the baby was found by the force.

Local residents living near a wooded area between Brentwood Crescent, Hutton Road and Burstead Close said they noticed a heavy police presence around the time officials said remains were found on Wednesday.

Julia, 83, whose house overlooks the forest, said: “I had dinner and my granddaughter said they found the baby.

“I looked out the window and said, ‘They must have found the baby in the back. They had forensics in tents outside, there were half a dozen people and there were two white tents.

“I think they found the baby right across from my bedroom. It’s very upsetting, we were all in tears last night.”

A note left near where Constance Marten’s baby was found has revealed that one person heard the baby’s screams.

The member of the public said they should have “followed” the baby’s “cries” on a map they left at the scene.

The anonymous message read: “RIP little darling am so traumatised. I should have followed your screams.”

Fifty-three days after going on the run with a newborn baby, missing aristocrat Constance Marten and her boyfriend Mark Gordon were finally caught – with the help of a member of the public outside a corner shop.

The couple were recognized by a passerby thanks to media calls and police fell just six minutes later as they were walking up a nearby Brighton street.

“Yesterday shortly after 9:30 p.m [Monday] In the evening, following media reports of pictures of the couple, a member of the public sighted them outside the Mulberrys store in Hollingbury Place,” Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said at a news conference.

“They saw the couple withdrawing cash and dialed 999. The time between registering that call and police arriving at the scene was six minutes.”

In a statement released by the Metropolitan Police, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said the baby is believed to have been dead for “several weeks”.

He said: “My team have been working on this investigation for the past eight weeks and we have traveled across the country in our search for this baby.

“We are all really devastated by the result and we know those emotions are felt here in Brighton and across the country today too.

“While many questions remain, it is important that we give the investigation team the time and space they need to learn more details about the circumstances of this tragic death.

“At this point we have not been able to confirm the baby’s gender and a post-mortem has not yet taken place.

“Nevertheless, based on the investigations we have conducted so far, we believe that the baby was unfortunately dead for several weeks before it was found. It is too early for us to give a more precise date.”

Police believe Constance Marten and Mark Gordon’s baby “may have been dead for some time” and have not been able to confirm its gender, Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said.

Officials continue to search the area where the remains of a baby were found after an aristocrat and her boyfriend were arrested without their child on Monday.

Constance Marten, 35, and Mark Gordon, 48, have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect after a passer-by spotted them in Brighton.