Police confirm body is that of missing mother; Search continues for newborn

The body of a woman found in Avon Gorge in England last night has been formally identified as missing mother Charlotte Bevan, Avon and Somerset Police said.

They are continuing to search for 30-year-old Ms Bevan’s six-day-old daughter Zaani Tiana after the pair vanished from Bristol Maternity Hospital on Tuesday.

A police statement said: “An intensive search operation is still under way in the Avon Gorge area involving police, Avon Search and Rescue, mountain rescue volunteers and the police helicopter.

“Our thoughts remain with Charlotte’s family and partner Pascal.”

Police said earlier they would continue to scour the area where Ms Bevan's body was retrieved last night.

CCTV footage showed Ms Bevan leaving the hospital coatless and carrying Zaani wrapped in just a blanket.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Ms Bevan’s boyfriend and father to the baby girl, Pascal Malbrouck, joined the missing woman’s mother Rachel Fortune in making an emotional plea for news.

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.

But earlier this month she had posted happy pictures of herself with her baby bump on the social networking site, where she also described herself as a “free spirit”.

Ms Bevan is believed to have suffered from schizophrenia and depression and had been sleep deprived after giving birth.

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.

“While it remains unclear as to how Charlotte died, we will be conducting a thorough review of the care Charlotte and her baby received to see if there was anything we could have done to prevent this tragic and unexplained death.

“We continue to work closely with other agencies who are continuing to search for Charlotte’s baby daughter.”

Ms Bevan had been due to be discharged from the hospital today, with “no indications” she was planned to leave early, the spokeswoman said.

Staff last saw Ms Bevan and her baby at 8.30pm but when they went back to check on her at 9.05pm both were missing.

A large search operation was launched after hospital staff alerted police and teams including police dogs, horses and mountain rescue are at the scene where Ms Bevan’s body was found.