Baby Lilly mother concealed birth

Rachael Davies admitted concealing a birth

A woman has admitted concealing the birth of her stillborn daughter whose body was found by a Warwickshire river.

Rachael Davies, 26, of Wharrage Road, Alcester, was arrested after police used DNA testing to link her to the child, nicknamed Lilly by officers.

Stratford-on-Avon magistrates heard Lily was found near the River Alne last May. She had suffered a fractured skull and collarbone.

Davies will be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court at a later date.

The court heard Davies kept the baby's body in her car overnight before dumping it, sometime between January and May last year.

Blamed steroids

The baby's injuries initially prompted police to launch a murder inquiry, but this was later discontinued.

David Everett, prosecuting, said the infant was found in a bag by a 13-year-old boy who was walking near a weir at Aston Cantlow.

Police artists released an image of Lily during the murder probe

Davies was questioned by police last November and asked to supply a DNA sample.

She said she knew nothing about the baby, apart from what she had seen on the news.

But DNA tests linked the baby to Davies, who later admitted that pyjamas and a towel found inside the bag belonged to her.

"She said it showed no signs of life when it had been born," Mr Everett told magistrates.

The court also heard Davies claimed she did not realise she was pregnant until she went into labour. She blamed her weight gain on steroids contained in her inhaler.

Colin Charvill, defending, said his client had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, adding: "She thinks about this matter every day.

"It's not something that goes away - it troubles her... she can't sleep at night and she finds it difficult to go out by herself."

Davies faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison when she is sentenced on 27 April.