Constance Marten’s father Napier ‘relieved’ aristocrat has been found but ‘alarmed’ her baby is still missing
CONSTANCE Marten's dad Napier has said he is "relieved" his aristocrat daughter has been found.
The mum and her rapist partner Mark Gordon were found by cops in Brighton - without their newborn baby - after 54 days on the run.
The couple were located on a residential street shortly before 9.30pm and an urgent search continues in the area for their child.
The pair were arrested this morning on suspicion of child neglect.
Gordon is a registered sex offender who served 20 years for raping a woman when he was just 14.
Now Constance's father, Napier Marten, had told how he is "alarmed" by the fact the tot has not yet been found.
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He told : “It would have been far better if they handed themselves in earlier and whatever the weather, I love her dearly.
“It is an immense relief to know my beloved daughter Constance has been found, tempered by the very alarming news her baby has yet to be found.
“For whatever reasons she and her partner went on the run, the consequences of their actions have increased many fold. It would have been far better if they had handed themselves in earlier.”
He continued: “The police to whom I am profoundly grateful, committed great resources to try to find Constance, all of which, it was always hoped, could have been avoided.
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“I would like to thank Det. Sup. Bashford and his team for their dogged investigation to bring her disappearance to a close. I would also like to thank the person or persons who called the police when they saw the couple.
“When the time comes, I am longing to see Constance to reassure her that, whatever the weather, I love her dearly and will support her as best I can through the difficult weeks and months here on in.”
Napier is a former page to , and son of Mary Anna Marten, whose godmother was the Queen Mother, Constance comes from a family of wealthy landowners.
DSI Lewis Basford from the Met police said: “We can’t say at this time if it’s a boy or a girl and we are still awaiting test results from the placenta found in their car on the M61.
“At the moment, we are still in the position where they have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and there is a search for the baby.
“We are looking at open land, outbuildings where they may have placed the baby while they were in the local area before we arrested them.
“There’s nothing to say they were in the caravan, we still think they were living in the outdoor environment and the that is leading us, and the arrest location, to the outdoor search.
“I think, we’ve got to keep the hope that maybe they have allowed somebody else to care for the baby who thinks they are doing some good on behalf of the couple but as we know, as the temperature drops and the longer the baby goes without parents the risks are high.”
Constance's mum previously penned an open letter to her daughter.
Virginie de Selliers wrote: "You are not alone in this situation. We will support you in whatever way we can.
"I know you well enough; you are focused, intelligent, passionate and complex with so much to offer the world. So many of your friends have come forward to say such positive things about you, assuring us of their warmest love and support for you and your family.
"You have made choices in your personal adult life which have proven to be challenging, however I respect them, I know that you want to keep your precious newborn child at all costs.
"With all that you have gone through this baby cannot be removed from you but instead needs looking after in a kind and warm environment.
"I want to help you and my grandchild. You deserve the opportunity to build a new life, establish a stable family and enjoy the same freedoms that most of us have.
"Constance, I will do what I can to stand alongside you and my grandchild. You are not alone in this situation. We will support you in whatever way we can.
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"I am ready to do what it takes for you to recover from this awful experience so you can thrive and enjoy motherhood.
"I love you and miss you, Mum xx."