Woman says kept baby's decomposing body 'because she was not in a good place'
A woman has told a manslaughter trial she was 'not in a good place' when she carried her decomposing baby's body round in a Lidl bag for life.
Constance Marten is accused of killing her newborn daughter Victoria and is currently being cross-examined in front of a jury. She denied "dumping" her baby saying she placed her in the plastic bag and had been in the grip of “fear and grief”. The 36-year-old aristocrat is on trial alongside partner Mark Gordon, 49, after the infant allegedly died while they were camping on the South Downs in wintry conditions last year.
Following their arrests last February, Victoria's badly decomposed body was found in an allotment shed inside the supermarket bag along with a sandwich wrapper and an empty beer can. Cross-examining Marten on Wednesday, prosecutor Joel Smith noted that a teddybear babygrow Victoria was seen on CCTV wearing was among the items recovered with Victoria’s “dumped” body.
Marten appeared to become agitated on the stand and insisted that Victoria was not “dumped” in the bag. She told jurors: “It’s awful, I know. The only thing I can say, if someone passes away the immediate reaction is panic. Mark and I were not in a good place. We were in fear and grief. She was not dumped anywhere. She was with us the whole time.”
Marten is on trial for manslaughter (Julia Quenzler / SWNS)Mr Smith asserted the couple were “hideously ill-prepared” to look after Victoria when they travelled from London to the South Downs. Marten insisted they had a camouflage outfit, a couple of babygrows, a quilt, blanket and sheet for the baby. The defendant, who described Gordon as her “amazing husband”, told jurors: “We had enough to keep her warm, absolutely. She was our number one priority.”
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Jurors were shown CCTV of Marten carrying Victoria underneath her zipped-up jacket in east London last January 7. In the footage, Marten appeared to adjust the baby after she slipped down in her arms. Asked if that was an appropriate way to carry a newborn baby, mother of five Marten said she had “always” done it with her children. “As long as it’s secure. People carry children in their arms all the time,” she said.
In further CCTV on the same day, Victoria was seen with her head tilted back as she was lifted up by Marten and placed in a buggy that Gordon had bought but was designed for an older child. Mr Smith suggested it showed that Marten had treated Victoria in a “cavalier fashion”.
The mum with one of her children (Facebook)The defendant accepted it appeared from the video that she was not supporting Victoria’s head. But added: "She’s fine. If she was not, she would be howling. I’m confident with my children.” The defendant insisted the baby, who was dressed only in the teddybear motif babygrow, was “fine”.
Marten said she did not believe the medical advice warning against keeping a new-born baby outside for long periods. “I do not agree with it because there are babies who spend hours outside. People live in countries without central heating,” she said.
Mr Smith asked: “At what stage did you decide to live in a tent? ...Did either of you say anything to the effect I’m not sure this is a good idea?”
The parents are on trial (PA)Marten said they did not, adding that the other choice was to put their child in care. Jurors have heard how the couple went on the run from authorities in a bid to keep their baby after their four other children were taken into care. They abandoned many of their belongings after their car burst into flames near Bolton, Greater Manchester, last January 5.
When they were finally arrested in Brighton last February 27, they had refused to answer officers’ urgent questions about where their baby was and whether she was alive or dead. The defendants, of no fixed address, deny manslaughter by gross negligence, perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
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