Baby Elsa set to be adopted a year after being found in a shopping bag in London

A baby girl who was found abandoned in a plastic bag in freezing temperatures is set to be adopted.

Elsa, who was named by hospital staff, was discovered by a dogwalker in Newham in January 2024.

No sign of her parents could be found, and soon detectives discovered she has two siblings who were also abandoned in the area.

Harry, now eight-years-old, and Roman, six, were found in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

Elsa has been cared for by foster carers while her two older siblings have been adopted.

Judge Carol Atkinson has since ruled the little girl will remain with her foster carers and they will ‘pave the way’ for them to eventually adopt her.

She said: ‘Elsa is a beautiful little girl, a raucous bundle of excitement and laughter. I am pleased to have seen photos of her. I know from reports that she lights up the space around her.

‘She is happy and settled in her new family, as yet unaware of how she differs from other children.

‘Her best chance in life comes with a permanent placement in an alternative family. These siblings share something quite extraordinary.

‘No one that they will meet in life is likely to understand what it is like to be a foundling, but they each know and understand.’

Police have carried out extensive enquiries, including going door-to-door of every property nearby, but their parents have never been found.

The Metropolitan Police said they have ‘exhausted’ all enquiries and have dropped the search.

They established a full DNA profile and reviewed hours of CCTV footage, narrowing down the search to 400 homes.

Detective superintendent Lewis Basford, of the Metropolitan Police, said: ‘This remains one of the most unique investigations we have worked on.

‘It has recently involved the investigation team speaking with hundreds of members of the public and travelling across the country to contact possible relatives.

‘This familial DNA work has been complex and involved identifying potential matches to the DNA of the three children, before exploring all of that person’s family structure.

‘At this stage, this latest phase of enquiries has not resulted in us identifying the biological parents of the three children.

‘While this has been disappointing, the lengths we have gone to have proven the team’s dedication to safeguarding children and ensuring the welfare of the mother.

‘This remains our priority, and we will continue to review all information and intelligence made available to us to establish whether a new phase of the investigation can be launched.

‘At this stage, our enquiries are exhausted, but I continue to urge anyone who may be sitting on information to contact us.’

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