Police appeal to find parents of toddler abandoned in Crawley almost four months ago

Police are desperately trying to track down the parents of a toddler abandoned nearly four months ago.

The little girl, named Jade by social services because she responds when she hears that name, is still in the care of social services after she was found on March 15.

Police won’t reveal where she was found, but believe her parents might have connections to Crawley, West Sussex, and Tooting, south London.

They have said that she may have been separated from her parents some months before she was found abandoned, but are refusing to reveal any further details.

They are not sure how old the little girl is, but suspect she might be around 19 months.

A Sussex Police spokesman stressed that the parents are not in trouble but that social services and police want to trace them urgently and speak to them about their child.

The spokesman said: “Jade is of Afro-Caribbean appearance.

“She has brown eyes and dark hair.

“She is an affectionate, sociable, bright and happy toddler who enjoys music and likes to dance and sing.

“She is inquisitive, active and enjoys the outdoors, loving to explore her environment, and has a love of climbing.”

The abandoned child who has been named Jade by her carers.

Detective Sergeant Alexis Witek asked that anyone who may know anything about the little girl to get in touch.

He said: “At this point we really need to find out who this little girl’s parents are.

“She may have connections to Crawley and West Sussex as well as Tooting or south London more generally.

“We ask that anyone who may know anything about her speaks to us.”

“We are appealing in particular to those in the local Crawley and West Sussex area, the wider Ugandan community, or anyone who knows of a woman who has been caring for a young girl meeting the description until recently.”

A spokeswoman for Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) said: “It’s really important that we make every effort we can to find this child’s parents, so she has a chance of growing up knowing her family background, and so that the best possible decisions about her future can be made.”