DNA indicates baby whose skeleton was found under floorboards in Bishop Auckland was a boy

An investigation underway into the DNA of a baby whose skeleton was discovered under floorboards by property renovators indicates it was a boy.

The remains of the baby, which had twine around its neck, were found in an upstairs flat on Fore Bondgate, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on 29 July this year.

Forensic analysts believed that the full-term baby, which was wrapped in newspaper, had lain undisturbed since the early 20th century.

Since July, detectives have continued to investigate the remains.

Carbon dating has now confirmed that the skeleton dates back to before 1955, aligning with the detectives’ initial assumption that it could be from around 1910.

Durham Constabulary said a DNA sample is currently being processed by the National Missing Persons Database while initial results indicate the baby was a boy.

Once the results are back in full, the force can start coordinating DNA sampling with the family to check for any potential matches.

Following the discovery of the remains, the Bishop Auckland property undergoing renovations was attended by police and CSI teams.

The body is believed to have remained untouched since the early 20th century - with a fragment of the newspaper it was wrapped in dating back to 1910.

Officers confirmed at the time that the baby was full term, and that the circumstances surrounding its death are likely to be suspicious.

As the investigation was launched in July, police said they would be tracing historic records for the Victorian-era property to identify who lived there.

At one stage, the building housed a church-run mother-and-baby unit, although it is believed that the baby was concealed before then.

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