LONDON, England — Constance Marten delivered a poignant testimony on Friday during her retrial at the Old Bailey, detailing the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of her infant daughter, Victoria. With tears in her eyes, she expressed fears of being labeled an “evil mother” or even a “murderess” for her actions.
Marten, 37, and her partner Mark Gordon, 50, are contesting charges of manslaughter by gross negligence and permitting the death of a child. The couple had previously been found guilty of concealing the birth of Victoria and obstructing justice by failing to report her death.
In January 2023, the baby girl was discovered lifeless in a shopping bag on a Brighton allotment, wrapped in refuse. During her testimony, Marten recounted how, while camping in a tent on the South Downs near Newhaven, she had just fed her newborn when a tragic incident occurred. After falling asleep, she awoke with a sudden sense that something was wrong.
“I took her out of my jacket and she was just completely limp,” Marten recalled, describing Victoria’s pale complexion and discolored lips as confirming her worst fears. Despite her initial disbelief, it became clear to Marten that her daughter had died. She noted that Gordon, initially skeptical about the infant’s condition, attempted CPR, which ultimately proved futile.
Marten shared the heart-wrenching details of holding her daughter for hours, wrestling with grief and responsibility. In a moment of desperation, she wrapped Victoria in a headscarf, murmuring words of mourning before placing the child in the Lidl bag. Several days later, she visited a petrol station in Newhaven, contemplating the unthinkable act of cremating her daughter’s body to prevent discovery.
“We were afraid of what people would think—of being seen as terrible parents,” she said, highlighting the couple’s fear of authorities after previously having four children removed from their care. After filling a glass bottle with petrol, Marten and Gordon traveled to Brighton, with the burden of the bag weighing heavy on them.
Marten indicated that Gordon typically carried the bag containing Victoria’s remains while she found it unbearable. The retrial continues to unfold, bringing renewed focus and tragedy to this harrowing case.
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