British aristocrat and her boyfriend convicted of killing their newborn
Share and Follow

A British aristocrat who went on the run with her boyfriend and their newborn daughter in 2023 were convicted Monday of killing the infant.

Constance Marten, aged 38, and Mark Gordon, aged 51, were found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter at their second trial held at London’s Central Criminal Court. Earlier, they had been convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, and child cruelty in their initial trial.

Marten had secretly given birth to a daughter, Victoria, after their other four children were taken away by the courts, which had determined there was a risk of harm to them.

Despite having affluent parents with ties to the royal family and possessing her own trust fund, Marten chose to reject her privileged background. She sometimes lived without paying rent, and while on the run, she foraged for food in trash bins and camped in frigid conditions.

Police launched a massive nationwide search that lasted seven weeks after a placenta was found Jan. 5, 2023, in the couple’s burned-out and abandoned car in northwestern England.

The couple spent hundreds of pounds on cabs to shuttle around the country as they avoided using credit cards or anything that might identify them.

After their arrest in Brighton on Feb. 27, the couple refused to say where the baby was. Gordon, who served more than 20 years in a U.S. prison for rape, said “What’s the big deal?” when asked about the baby’s welfare.

Two days later, police found the baby’s decomposed body in a shopping bag under rubbish in a garden shed. The infant either died from hypothermia or was suffocated, prosecutors said.

The couple said it was tragic accident that occurred when Marten was sleeping.

Both defendants testified during the second trial, but cut their testimony short during cross-examination. Marten called the prosecution “heartless” and “diabolical.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Colorado Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson dies at 49

Andrea Gibson, Colorado’s Beloved Poet Laureate, Passes Away at Age 49

DENVER (KDVR) — Celebrated poet, author and Colorado Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson…
Octomom reveals what she is most 'grateful for' as she turns 50

Octomom Shares Her Biggest Gratitudes on Her 50th Birthday

Octomom has turned 50-years-old. Nadya Suleman – who has 14 children –…
Former NHL player Joe Pavelski wins the celebrity American Century Championship

Ex-NHL Star Joe Pavelski Clinches Victory at Celebrity American Century Championship

The golf event included famous athletes, actors, musicians and more. SOUTH LAKE…
My dad was a secret service agent, here are common things I'd NEVER do

Lessons from My Dad’s Secret Service Experience: Actions I Avoid

A woman whose father served as a Secret Service agent for more…
Police arrest international traveler allegedly carrying nearly $3M in drugs bound for Brazil

Police arrest international traveler allegedly carrying nearly $3M in drugs bound for Brazil

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Police arrested a man…
A chaotic raid, 360 arrests, and a tragic death: What happened at California's Glass House Farms

A Chaotic Raid at California’s Glass House Farms: 360 Arrests and a Tragic Loss

Federal authorities now say they arrested more than 360 people at two…
Multiple people were injured in 2 Kentucky shootings, including one at a church

Two Kentucky Shootings Result in Several Injuries, Including One at a Church

Police say the suspect carjacked a vehicle after shooting the trooper and…
Two rings found on beach and returned thanks to kindness of strangers

Strangers’ Kindness Leads to the Return of Two Lost Rings Found on Beach

CAPE MAY, New Jersey — When a South Jersey woman lost two…