East London Family Court has approved adoption arrangements for the youngest of three siblings abandoned as newborns in east London, confirming regular contact between the children as they grow up. The decision, issued on Thursday 8 January 2026 by Judge Carol Atkinson, follows two years of proceedings concerning the child known publicly as “Elsa”, found in Newham in January 2024. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/08/three-siblings-abandoned-london-over-eight-year-period-adopted?utm_source=openai))
Under the plan agreed by the children’s adoptive parents, the siblings will exchange photographs and meet in person twice a year. The older children, known as Harry (8) and Roman (6), were adopted previously; Elsa has been living with the family now set to adopt her and is reported to be thriving. ([aol.com](https://www.aol.com/articles/abandoned-baby-elsa-adopted-regularly-131959698.html?utm_source=openai))
In court, Judge Atkinson described the circumstances as highly unusual and stressed the importance of preserving the siblings’ shared history. She noted the rarity of infant abandonment cases, citing figures that only eight children were registered as abandoned in England and Wales over a decade to 2018. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/08/three-siblings-abandoned-london-over-eight-year-period-adopted?utm_source=openai))
Official records of “foundlings” are held on the General Register Office’s Abandoned Children Register, referenced by the Office for National Statistics in past publications. While the ONS no longer routinely receives these data post‑2014, the register remains the core source for historical counts. ([ons.gov.uk](https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/abandonedinfantsintheuk2022?utm_source=openai))
Elsa was discovered near the Greenway and High Street South, East Ham, on 18 January 2024, less than an hour after birth. DNA testing later confirmed she is the full sibling of two babies found in nearby locations in 2017 and 2019, each discovered shortly after birth. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/2024-06-04/baby-found-in-shopping-bag-has-two-siblings-who-were-also-abandoned-court-told?utm_source=openai))
The contact arrangements sit within the statutory framework for adoption in England and Wales. Courts may provide for contact during placement under section 26 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and, when making or after making an adoption order, may order or prohibit post‑adoption contact under section 51A. Agreements reached by adoptive parents can be reflected in, or operate alongside, such orders. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/section/26?utm_source=openai))
Recent judicial guidance encourages case‑specific, actively managed contact where safe and in a child’s interests, with a move beyond traditional “letterbox‑only” arrangements. The President of the Family Division has highlighted emerging research and recommended more flexible, face‑to‑face options where appropriate. ([judiciary.uk](https://www.judiciary.uk/speech-by-the-president-of-the-family-division-adapting-adoption-to-the-modern-world-part-two/?utm_source=openai))
Police investigations into the identity of the children’s parents spanned CCTV review, door‑to‑door enquiries and public appeals, including a £20,000 Crimestoppers reward in early 2025. The Metropolitan Police has since said enquiries are “exhausted”, though information will continue to be reviewed. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/2025-01-18/20000-reward-offered-to-identify-parents-of-newborn-found-abandoned?utm_source=openai))
Detectives worked with the National Crime Agency and used the children’s DNA to develop investigative leads, including building a full genetic profile of the mother to support kinship checks. This approach aimed to identify relatives who might provide information, but no parents have been traced. ([independent.co.uk](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/baby-elsa-east-ham-abandoned-b2704051.html?utm_source=openai))
Familial DNA techniques are tightly controlled in the UK: the Forensic Information Databases Strategy Board must authorise such searches, and use of commercial genealogy databases is not endorsed by national policing. Government guidance notes that familial searching on the National DNA Database is reserved for serious cases and has a modest success rate. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-dna-and-fingerprint-exchange-policy-for-the-uk/forensic-information-database-service-finds-international-dna-and-fingerprint-exchange-policy-for-the-united-kingdom-accessible-version?utm_source=openai))
Reporting of this case has been enabled by family‑court transparency rules. Judge Atkinson varied reporting restrictions in June 2024 to permit publication of the sibling link, and from 27 January 2025 the open‑reporting provisions applied nationally, allowing accredited journalists and legal bloggers to report anonymised details subject to transparency orders. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/2024-06-04/baby-found-in-shopping-bag-has-two-siblings-who-were-also-abandoned-court-told?utm_source=openai))
For practitioners, the ruling underlines three operational points: early planning for sibling contact in adoption care plans; careful use of section 51A where formal orders will support stability; and continued adherence to the transparency framework when communicating case information. Indirect contact will typically be managed through regional adoption agencies’ letterbox services, with in‑person contact set case by case. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/part/1/chapter/3/crossheading/postadoption-contact?utm_source=openai))