Entombed baby's parents revealed

Police reconstructed the concrete block in 2003

Tests have solved the mystery of the parentage of an abused baby entombed in a concrete block for at least 15 years.

The baby, named Lara by police, was discovered in a garage in Barepot Workington, Cumbria, in 2002.

Cumbria Police suspected her parents were Joseph and Sheila Thwaites, of Seaton, who are both dead.

DNA tests have proved they were the parents, but there was no evidence as to who was responsible for the abuse and the case has now been closed.

Two other women, Ann Chadwick and Yvonne Mahaffy, were "categorically" ruled out as the parents but confirmed as likely sisters of Lara, police also revealed.

In July an inquest found the child, aged between four and six months, had been unlawfully killed, but those responsible have never been found.

It has not been possible to determine how Lara died Det Ch Insp Andy Carter, Cumbria Police

Det Ch Insp Andy Carter said: "Since the inquest into the death of Lara, there have been developments in forensic science.

"We are satisfied we have established the parentage of Lara.

"But it would be wrong for the community to draw the conclusion that Joseph and Sheila Thwaites were responsible for the care and well-being of Lara during her short life."

Fractured skull

He also said that because they could not interview the couple the inquiry was effectively over because there were no further leads to pursue.

Mr Carter added: "It has not been possible to determine how Lara died and who may be responsible for her death."

Mrs Thwaites, whose maiden name was Martin, was born in 1938 and died in 1988.

She worked at Osborne's Grocers in Seaton, Hughes TV shop in Workington, and Millers shoe factory in Cockermouth.

Mr Thwaites, who was born in 1911 and died in 1984, worked as a pitman in West Cumbria and had a taxi business and dairy round in Seaton.

A post-mortem examination showed that Lara suffered a fractured skull, bruising to the abdomen and an untreated abscess in the mouth which had cracked the bone. She may also have been sexually abused.