What happens next after dog walker's tragic discovery of Baby A in Salford

Detectives are scrambling to piece together the clues following a heartbreaking discovery shrouded in mystery. There are significant unanswered questions after the remains of Baby A were found by a dog walker in a Salford field on Wednesday (November 20).

Officers were called out to Ashtons Field, in Little Hulton, at around 12.30pm. A major police operation began with a the scene being taped off while forensics investigators gathered evidence.

Their work is continuing into Wednesday night, with the cordon extended. Heartbroken locals have placed flowers and tributes for the infant, whose identity is unknown to Greater Manchester Police.

READ MORE: Police don't know who tragic 'Baby A' is or how long they've been in Salford field

The force has named the infant Baby A. At a press conference at the scene, Chief Superintendent Neil Blackwood admitted that many details around who Baby A is and what happened to them remain a mystery.

But there are a number of steps that will follow in the coming days that should begin to shed light on the tragic circumstances. A Home Office post mortem is currently taking place, following Baby A's discovery.

The results could confirm details such as the baby's sex, ethnicity and age. It it also hoped that the post mortem will give clues on how Baby A came to their death, and how long they had been left in Ashtons Field, in the next two days.

Chf Supt Blackwood, GMP's district commander for Salford, confirmed that no one had come forward with any information about Baby A. He is urging people who know something about the infant to get in touch.

Potential witnesses from the 'past few days' are also being asked to call GMP. Little Hulton residents have also been told to expect a heightened police presence in the coming days, with the scene on Ashtons Field still ongoing.

Chf Supt Blackwood said: "Tragically, today, we have found what we believe to be the remains of a young baby on Ravenscraig Road in Salford. We have a scene in place, and you will likely see an increased presence of officers in the local area while we carry out enquiries to understand the circumstances.

"At this stage, we are following several lines of enquiry, and we are working with local partner agencies to understand who this baby could be, how long they have been here, and how they have sadly died. We are now calling this baby, Baby A.

"All of this is extremely sensitive, and this investigation needs to be handled with the utmost care it deserves, and it is going to take time. We know that this news will devastate our communities, and while we do not have all the answers to these questions yet, I want to reassure residents that we will do all we can to find out what has happened here.

"The most important thing for us right now is to find answers for this baby and I would urge anyone who has any information at all to get in touch with us. Even the most minor detail could be crucial to our investigation.

"If you have seen anyone in the area over the past few days, or know who the parents could be, please call us as soon as you can. As soon as we are in a position to confirm further details about the circumstances, we will do so. I encourage people to ring 101 and quote log 1319 or they can do so anonymously on Crimestoppers, which is 0800 555 111."