Children who found dead baby attend funeral
Four young children who made the horrific discovery of the body of a new-born baby girl wrapped in a plastic bag, said personal farewells at her funeral today.
The children have had nightmares since making the grim discovery of the murdered infant in a lane way at Carryduff, Co Down, five months ago.
They have been counselled by police investigating the murder.
But they insisted on attending the funeral of the infant - named Baby Carrie by police. Officers said the decision had given the youngsters comfort and a degree of closure.
Brothers Raymond and Ryan Waddell, 13 and 10, together with Danielle Clifton, 10, and Rachel Mills, 10, had been playing near a sports complex when they found the baby’s body and raised the alarm.
Today, they walked behind the tiny white coffin of Baby Carrie, carried from an interdenominational service on the outskirts of Belfast by Detective Sergeant Lindsay McNair, part of the police investigation team.
At the graveside in Knockbreda cemetery, they each threw a single pink rose into the grave and placed small teddy bears by the gravestone bearing the inscription: “Baby Carrie. Known only unto God.”
The children, accompanied to the funeral by their parents, said they had wanted to be there. Danielle said it gave them comfort. “I am glad she has been buried and has a headstone.”
She recalled how they found the body, saying: “I just pulled the bag open and the baby was just lying in there.”
Police and the local Castlereagh council united to provide the funeral service and burial which was attended by nearly 150 people, including police involved in the murder investigation, local people and politicians.
After five months of unsuccessfully trying to identify the baby’s mother, Detective Chief Inspector Roy McComb made a fresh appeal for her to come forward.
Standing by the graveside, he said: “The investigation has to continue, closure is just a telephone call away from Carrie’s mum or anyone who knows her.”
He revealed that a tiny white angel, sent to him just yesterday by a Belfast woman who had tried for 22 years before finally having a baby, had been buried inside the coffin.
A huge white toy polar bear sat by the coffin during the funeral service and was left standing guard beside the grave amid a sea of small toys and flowers.
Floral tributes were sent by police officers, local councillors and local people and the police ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan, who oversaw the police DNA testing of nearly 700 women in the Carryduff area in a bid to identify the infant’s mother.
During the interdenominational service, Church of Ireland minister the Rev John Auchmuty said the distress of the baby’s discovery had shocked the local community but had also brought it closer together.
“I appeal to Baby Carrie’s mother to come forward so that she can receive the help and support which she needs.
“I also appeal to anyone with information that will be of help to police to come forward,” he said.
Among the mourners was local MP Iris Robinson. She constantly dabbed with a tissue at tears trickling from her eyes.
The DUP MP said her heart went out to the children who found the baby’s body.
“I know they have had difficulties and nightmares - young children playing in a beauty spot and finding something so horrible - a beautiful wee baby that had been battered and murdered.
“I know the police have been wonderful in dealing with them and counselling them.”
She said the local community had taken the unknown baby to their hearts. “I think we have all adopted Baby Carrie, I think it shows in the turnout today that people care.
“We are her immediate family.”
