Baby Elsa abandoned on coldest night of the year making ‘astonishing’ progress

A baby girl found abandoned in a shopping bag in freezing temperatures is doing well and has taken her first steps, a family court hearing has been told.

Baby Elsa, named by nurses after the character in Disney’s Frozen, was thought to be barely an hour old when she was found by a dog walker in east London

In the months that followed it would emerge she had two older siblings who were also abandoned in the same area of the city, in 2017 and 2019.

Detectives are still trying to track down their parents and have offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to their identification.

Earlier this month, East London Family Court was told Elsa had taken her first steps and is ‘developing well’.

Judge Carol Atkinson said the update was ‘astonishing’.

Steven Evans, for Newham Council, said: ‘The social work team reported to me that Elsa is developing well. She has taken her first steps. She is meeting all her developmental milestones.

‘The social worker describes her visits as “the best visits ever”.’

Elsa was found wrapped in a towel in a reusable shopping bag on January 18 last year, at the junction of Greenway and High Street South in East Ham, east London.

Last June, Judge Atkinson allowed reporting of the fact that Elsa has two siblings, who were found in similar circumstances in the same area of London.

In September 2017, Harry was found wrapped in a white blanket in Balaam Street, Plaistow.

Roman was found in similar circumstances in a play area off Roman Road, Newham, in late January 2019, as freezing temperatures and snow gripped the city.

Harry and Roman, not their real names, have since been adopted.

On the first anniversary of Elsa’s discovery earlier this year, the independent group Crimestoppers offered a £20,000 reward for information passed to the charity, which will expire on April 18.

The police investigation into the identity of the children’s parents continues, and anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref Operation Wolcott.

People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously at any time on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org.

The reward will only be payable for information passed directly to Crimestoppers and not to the police, and a reward code must be asked for.

Those who contact Crimestoppers online must use the ‘keeping in contact’ facility, and a reward code must be requested.

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