Abandoned baby to be reunited with guardian in UK

A baby boy found abandoned in Carlow Cathedral yesterday has been identified as having gone missing from the Nottinghamshire in England the previous day and is to be reunited with his legal guardian.

The eight-month-old was taken from his home in the Ashfield area of the UK county at about 11am on Thursday.

He was found safe and well at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow town yesterday afternoon.

A UK police spokesman said: “Nottinghamshire Police are investigating the circumstances which led to an eight-month-old boy being taken from his home in the county to the Irish Republic.

“Police have worked extensively to locate the child and had already established that he may have been taken to Ireland when the Irish police confirmed at about 3.30pm on Friday that he had been found safe and well near a cathedral in the town of Carlow.

“The child had been left with a note giving his name and date of birth.”

Police said the boy was now in the care of the authorities and would be reunited with his legal guardian next week.

Gardaí confirmed they were working with their colleagues in Nottinghamshire to reunite the little boy with his legal guardian.

It is believed the child’s mother – who is no longer the legal guardian – and her partner may be in Ireland.

Gardaí have appealed for a couple seen leaving the Cathedral of the Assumption to come forward.

A person visiting the church reportedly heard a man and woman crying as they left the porch area.

The baby boy is in the care of the Health Service Executive.