Severed head is not missing mum as post-mortem shows victim died ‘more than a year ago’
An inconclusive postmortem on the body found the person died before January 2015, but was unable to determine the sex
A SEVERED head found in a quarry on Monday does not belong to a missing mum-of-three, a post-mortem revealed.
The head belonged to someone who died more than a year ago, making it impossible for it to be missing Natalie Hemming as previously feared.
An inconclusive post-mortem on the body found the person died before January 2015, but was unable to determine the sex.
The head was discovered in a toxic waste disposal site in Mepal, Cambridgeshire on Monday.
It is thought to have come from the Network Rail road construction site in Sharnbrook, 40 miles away.
While specialists are unable to determine the gender, they believe the victim died before January 1 2015.
Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Herts Major Crime Unit (MCU) continue to work with specialists in order to identifiy the body.
Officers were called to the scene on Block Fen Drove after a Mick George skip worker made the gruesome discovery.
As part of the investigation, search officers have been carrying out activity at an aqueduct in Mill Road, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, as this is where the head is believed to have come from.
Cambridgeshire Police previously said they were not currently connecting the discovery to any missing persons.
A spokeswoman said: "A post-mortem examination has come back inconclusive.
"Specialists are still unable to identify whether the head belongs to a man or a woman, however, based on the information available at this time, it is believed the person died before 1 January 2015.
"Detectives from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit (MCU) continue to work with specialists in order to establish the gender and identity of the deceased."
She added: "We are not linking it to any other investigations, however we are keeping an open mind, and we are in communication with the National Crime Agency."
They particularly said they were not linking the head to missing women Natalie Hemming and children's author Helen Bailey.
Reports were circulating yesterday after police said they were keeping an "open mind" over suggestions the head could be Natalie's.
Police have emphasised the head was not a skull.
The Mepal site where the head was found is used for landfill and recycling, as well as the supply of aggregates such as limestone and gravel, and mixing concrete.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Major Crime Unit on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.