Staffordshire Police have strongly denied online claims that four people arrested in connection with the death of a three-month-old baby in Great Wyrley are migrants, branding the suggestion "completely false" and "incredibly damaging" to their investigation.
Officers were called by West Midlands Ambulance Service at 8.45am on Saturday, September 5, following a report of a child in cardiac arrest. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene in the village of Great Wyrley.
Arrests and bail conditions
Four individuals were subsequently arrested in relation to the incident. A 42-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, both from south Staffordshire, a 20-year-old woman from Wolverhampton, and an 18-year-old man from Walsall have all been released on conditional police bail pending further inquiries.
Police have not released further details about the circumstances of the arrest or the baby's death, but confirmed that all four remain on bail while the investigation continues.
Police condemn online disinformation
In a statement issued on the evening of Tuesday, September 8, Staffordshire Police addressed what they described as disinformation circulating online. The force said: "We're aware of disinformation circulating online suggesting the four people arrested in connection with the tragic death of a baby in Great Wyrley are migrants. This is completely false."
The statement went on to warn that such claims could have serious consequences: "This type of information can be incredibly damaging to an ongoing investigation and can directly impact on our ability to gather evidence and secure outcomes."
Appeal to the public
The force urged the public to be cautious about what they share online. "We're urging people to think about the source of information online and to avoid sharing speculative claims that can damage our ability to investigate an incredibly sensitive incident and can cause significant distress to the family," the statement added.
Police acknowledged public concern over the case, saying: "We completely understand and accept people are concerned about this incident and are naturally going to search for further information. We cannot, however, accept false claims that are purposely shared online with the intention of misleading the public."
All four of those arrested at the scene remain on conditional police bail. The force said it would continue to provide updates on its official channels when it is able to do so.
