Summary: The mummified remains of a newborn were found under floorboards in a Bishop Auckland Victorian home on July 29, 2024, wrapped in a 1910 newspaper. An inquest on Sept. 17 concluded the full-term infant — dubbed "Baby Auckland" — was likely murdered and probably garroted with twine shortly after birth. Carbon dating suggested the remains could date from 1726–1812 despite the 1910 paper; the child's identity remains unknown. A funeral was held on April 27, 2026.
“Baby Auckland”: Mummified Newborn Found Under Floorboards Wrapped in 1910 Newspaper — Coroner Says Likely Murder
A funeral was held in April 2026 for a baby found under floorboards of an English house in July 2024 who is believed to have been alive between 1726 and 1812.Credit: Durham Constabulary/Facebook
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, northeast England
Discovery: On July 29, 2024, contractor Peter Moody was removing floorboards in a second-floor flat on Fore Bondgate when he uncovered a small bundle wrapped in an old newspaper. When he looked closer he realized it was a tiny skeleton.
The Victorian-era building on Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland in County Durham, where the remains of a baby boy were found in July 2024Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty
"I picked up what appeared to be a ball and thought, 'This is a baby'," Moody said in a statement read at the inquest. He contacted the council and was advised to call the police.
The remains were wrapped in a June 19, 1910 edition of The Umpire and bound with brown twine.
A funeral was held for the newborn known as Baby Auckland in April 2026Credit: Durham Constabulary/Facebook
Inquest Findings
At an inquest held on Sept. 17, County Durham and Darlington Coroner Crispin Oliver concluded the newborn — now referred to as "Baby Auckland" — was likely murdered. The coroner said the full-term infant, likely male, had twine wound about the neck three times and was probably garroted shortly after birth.
Forensic evidence estimated the baby was 38–40 weeks' gestation. Despite the 1910 newspaper, carbon dating presented at the inquest suggested the remains could date from as early as 1726 up to 1812, indicating the burial and the paper may not be contemporaneous.
Aftermath
Authorities have not identified the child. A funeral service for the infant took place on April 27, 2026, at Bishop Auckland Town Cemetery. Detective Chief Inspector Mel Sutherland paid tribute at the service, saying the case had been "deeply thought-provoking" and expressing hope that the child could now rest in peace.
Notes on Sensitivity: The details in this article include discussion of a homicide and the death of a newborn, which some readers may find distressing.
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