British couple to remain in custody after authorities find remains of baby in nearby garden shed" title="British couple to remain in custody after authorities find remains of baby in nearby garden shed" />

A couple whose disappearance sparked a nationwide search in England were ordered to remain in custody on Friday after evidence presented during a court hearing revealed a baby’s remains were found in a shed garden near where the couple finally met.

Constance Marten, 35, and Mark Gordon, 48, are charged with grossly negligent homicide, concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. They made their first court appearance on Friday at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, about 30 miles south of London.

The couple spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth and that neither had a permanent address. Gordon wore a gray sweater over his head throughout the hearing. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 31 at Central London Criminal Court.

ALEX MURDAUGH, CONVICTED OF MURDER IN THE FATAL SHOOTING OF WOMAN AND SON

Marten and Gordon were arrested on Monday in Brighton, on the south coast of England. Authorities had been searching for them since January 5, when their burning car was found on the side of a road in northwest England. Marten was believed to have given birth shortly before she disappeared.

The baby’s body was found under diapers inside a plastic bag that was discovered in a garden shed in north Brighton, authorities said during Friday’s hearing. The gruesome discovery followed a two-day search by hundreds of police officers aided by search and rescue teams, dogs, drones and thermal imaging cameras. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of death or the gender of the child.

Grossly negligent homicide involves negligent conduct that a reasonable person should have understood presented an obvious risk of death to someone to whom he owed a duty of care.

Source link