One Year On: The Unsolved Mystery of Baby Ava
A substantial £50,000 reward has been announced today, marking the first anniversary of the tragic discovery of a baby girl's body in a snow-covered Salford park. The child, named Ava by investigating officers, was found by a woman walking her dog in Ashtons Field, Greater Manchester, on November 20 last year.
Despite a year of what detectives describe as 'relentless' work, the identity of the baby and the person who buried her in a shallow grave remains a complete mystery. The investigation has involved around 20 experts from various fields and over 200 pieces of information have been followed up, yet no viable leads have emerged.
The Distinctive Clothing and Forensic Clues
Ava's remains were discovered wrapped in a highly distinctive item: a pair of ladies' knickers. The pink and beige briefs, an adult size large, feature an unusual pattern of cartoon donkeys and are not manufactured in the UK. Investigators believe this garment could be crucial to finding Ava's parents, suggesting it may have been worn by her mother during pregnancy.
Forensic scientists have so far only been able to extract a male DNA profile from the underwear, but they remain hopeful it could provide a vital clue. The baby's body was badly decomposed, and specialist analysis concluded she was born full term, at 38 to 39 weeks gestation. Tests also indicated her body had been kept elsewhere for a substantial time before being moved to the park sometime between a few hours and 20 days before discovery.
A Heartbreaking Discovery and Ongoing Search
The investigation revealed that Ava's body had initially been buried in a shallow grave, roughly 14 inches square and 5 inches deep. It is believed an animal, such as a badger or fox, disturbed the grave and brought the remains to the surface about two days before they were found. Because the body was discovered on top of a layer of snow, police know this disturbance happened after the snowfall began on November 18.
Lead investigator Detective Inspector Louise Kelly made a direct appeal: 'To Ava’s parents, if they see this, we are here ready to speak to you and support you.' She acknowledged that their circumstances are 'unimaginable' but stressed that help is available. The £50,000 reward, funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority led by Mayor Andy Burnham, is for information that leads to establishing Ava's identity and the circumstances of how she came to be in the park.
Police are continuing their presence in the area and urge anyone with information to come forward and contact Greater Manchester Police, quoting log 1319 of 20/11/24.
