Bodies of UK mum, baby who disappeared from hospital found

British police released this photo of the new mother walking out of the hospital clad only in slippers, with her baby wrapped in a blanket. Photo / Youtube

The body of a baby girl believed to be the daughter of Charlotte Bevan has been found by police in the British city of Bristol.

Ms Bevan, 30, was formally identified by Avon and Somerset Police today. Her body was discovered in a deep ravine on Wednesday night.

The identity of the baby has not yet been confirmed but police say they are "confident" it is Ms Bevan's daughter, Zaani Tiana.

A statement on the Avon and Somerset Police force website said: "Although formal identification has not yet taken place, we are confident this is the body of five-day-old Zaani Tiana Bevan Malbrouck.

"The body of Zaani's mother Charlotte Bevan was formally identified earlier today having been found at the same site last night.

"Our thoughts are with Charlotte's family and partner Pascal at this very sad time."

Ms Bevan walked out of St Michael's Hospital in Bristol on Tuesday with her four-day-old daughter.

CCTV footage showed that she did not have a coat and was wearing hospital slippers, a long black top and black trousers. The newborn baby was wrapped in a blanket.

Hours before she went missing, Ms Bevan posted a self-help video on her Facebook page called 'Get Through Positive And Negative Thinking Rough Patches'.

After she disappeared, her boyfriend, and Zaani's father, Pascal Malbrouck, told the Bristol Post that Ms Bevan had been suffering from mental health problems. He said that she had been "happy" before she gave birth, but had been sleep deprived.

He issued an emotional appeal at a press conference for Ms Bevan to return home, saying: "I miss you. The last few days have been amazing and I want many more of these.

"Please come home. I am waiting for you. You are welcome home at time even if it's not straight away. Please just let us know you are ok."

Her mother, Rachel Fortune, also pleaded for her daughter to get in touch. "We have really enjoyed seeing you being such a good mother - let's go forward with that," she said.

"We all love you very much and just want to know you are ok."

Friends described Ms Bevan, who is believed to have suffered from schizophrenia and depression, as part of a "happy couple" and said her disappearance was "out of character".

A spokeswoman for University Hospitals Bristol Trust said a review of the care Ms Bevan and her baby received would be undertaken.

"We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Charlotte Bevan and offer our heartfelt condolences to her family," the Trust spokeswoman said.

- Independent