The family of a mother and newborn baby who went missing from a maternity hospital in Bristol have made a desperate appeal for information about the woman.
Police have said they are urgently searching for Charlotte Bevan, 30, who left Bristol maternity hospital between 8.30pm and 9pm on Tuesday with her four-day-old baby girl, Zarnee Teanna. Officers have cordoned off a road near the hospital.
Bevan did not have a coat or shoes and is thought to have been wearing hospital slippers, while her baby was wrapped only in blankets.
Her partner, Pascal Malbrouck, wept as he was comforted by Bevan's mother and sister on Wednesday morning.
He said: "I left the hospital at 8.30pm and they say she left between 8.45 and 8.55pm. Nobody saw anything. They said she went out of this door. She couldn't have walked far, she went out in flipflops with a baby in her arms. If somebody had seen something they should have reported it by now, I just don't know."
Bevan's sister, Janet Tibbs, speaking at the couple's flat in Clifton, Bristol, said: "This was their first child and they were really looking forward to being parents. Pascal has been out everywhere looking for her and helping with the search. He?s looked in all the places that were special to them."
Malbrouck posted a message on Facebook saying: "My daughter has gone missing with her mum Charlotte Bevan. Please if anyone has got any info or has seen her please contact me." He signed off: "Feeling heartbroken."
Bevan went to Wells Cathedral school and is believed to work for an environmental charity. A post on her Facebook page says: 'I am free open-minded individual I love music, art, dancing and making clothes. I'm a free spirit open minded and individual I appreciate people for who they are kind or nasty - they all need love."
The page says she was watching a video called Get Through Positive and Negative Thinking Rough Patches at 7.16am on Tuesday. At around 2pm she appeared to be listening to the 2003 R Kelly song Ignition.
Friends joined in the overnight search on Tuesday night as temperatures dipped below freezing in many parts of Bristol. Isaac Jack McCardle said: "I know her and her partner. This is out of character. Her partner is one of the loveliest guys you'll ever meet. I'm going out now on my bike to look for her.
I was out on the streets with a friend for over three hours and searched almost every road, park, alleyway etc in the area as well as high streets and found nothing. I was in a warm coat and now I'm back home and chilled to the bone so it is worrying."
Police appealed for anyone who sees Bevan and her child to call immediately. "We are concerned for both Charlotte's welfare and that of her baby, and are urging Charlotte to let us know that she and her baby are all right," a spokesman said.
Officers were searching the city centre throughout the night and appeals were put out to bus drivers and taxi drivers and those travelling into work on early shifts to look out for Charlotte and her daughter.
Bevan is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, of average build with dark wavy hair. She is believed to have been wearing a long black top and black trousers when she went missing from the hospital, on Southwell Street. The police spokesman added that Bevan "may appear confused and worried".
The baby was wrapped in blue and white striped and coloured blankets.
Avon and Somerset police later tweeted: "We?re appealing to friends of Charlotte who may have been contacted by her to let us know she and baby are okay. Call us on 101."
A University Hospitals Bristol spokesperson said: "Charlotte Bevan was due to be discharged from St Michael?s Hospital tomorrow (Thursday 4 December), but elected to leave yesterday for reasons unknown to us.
Charlotte was recovering from the birth of her baby, and there were no indications that she was planning to self-discharge.
Charlotte and her baby were seen by staff at 20.30; when staff went to check on her at 21.05 they found Charlotte and her baby missing and immediately sounded the alarm.
We are working closely with other agencies to establish that Charlotte and her baby are safe."
Asked about security measures at St Michael's the trust added: "Access to the maternity wards is restricted and is controlled by CCTV and door release. CCTV cameras were working."
Meanwhile police in neighbouring Gloucestershire launched a hunt for an 18 year-old mother-to-be who has gone missing.
Jesse Burrows is 10 weeks pregnant and was last seen around 12.30pm on Tuesday in the Minchinhampton area, near Stroud, where she lives.
Police said: "There is concern for Jesse as this is unusual behaviour for her. She is 10 weeks pregnant and is currently taking medication, which she hasn?t taken with her."
Originally Posted by marshmallow
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I should be a detective! Ha ha ha...
