BBC news item - "The mystery of the baby in the box"

[Cell]

That was my thought too (post natal depression) , but it still doesn't explain why the father also abandoned him too.

Another scenario, perhaps the father didn't think it was his child . I know of two instances within marriage ( my hubbys grandparents and also a friend) where the fathers did not believe one of their childen was theirs ( they were) .

I think it will probably remain a mystery. How wonderful he has  his living siblings though .
His mother obviously never forgot about him either, talked *to (*about) him when she developed Alzheimer's. I would think it would not have been an easy decision for her to give him up, or any mother for that matter , no matter what the reasons were.
Kind regards

[River Tyne Lass]

My thought is his Mum may have had an affair and there may have been unsurety about his parentage perhaps.  Perhaps she and her husband could not face lots of questions and hence he was abandoned in the way he was. I recently read a book about war time experiences in the second world war.  One story mentioned related to a woman who had an affair and had a child to a man other than her husband.  She originally determined to keep the child but then decided that she could not present this child to her returning soldier husband and for him to live daily with evidence of her infidelity - and so she gave up the child. This seems callous these days but I think there seems to have been a totally different mindset about things in years gone by.  In years gone by I think it would have been the expected thing to give up a child from an an extramarital affair no matter how difficult.  Thank goodness we live in more enlightened times.  It wasn't all that long ago when unmarried Mothers were often expected to give up their children to adopters or to their own parents. 

In the BBC story the Mother would not have had the benefit of DNA testing which would have proved the child to be her husband's child.  Giving up her child must have been so painful and clearly she never forgot him.  My heart breaks for him and his Mother.  What a sad story!   I am glad he got to trace his beginnings though.

[rosie99]

My thought is his Mum may have had an affair

The BBC report has this
However, the results showed Grant was actually Robin's full brother, meaning they shared both parents.

[Dundee]

There was 14 years between the abandoned child and the next child born.  There is something wrong there.  I wonder if they have proved that the parents maintained a continuous relationship.

Debra 

[River Tyne Lass]

Hi Rosie99 and Dundee,

I know the results showed that Grant was
Robin's full brother but if the Mother had a simultaneous relationship and without the development of DNA testing, Grant's parents may not have been 100% about who Father was all those years ago.  The abandonment may have been due to postnatal depression as another possibility.  This likely would not have been as much understood years ago.

Dundee you have raised a good point too.

Merry Christmas to you all.

[Cell]

My thought is his Mum may have had an affair

The BBC report has this
However, the results showed Grant was actually Robin's full brother, meaning they shared both parents.

Hi ,
the full setence is  "My thought is his Mum may have had an affair and there may have been unsurety about his parentage perhaps. "

If she had an affair, neither her or her husband would know who is the father at the time.
The husband may have believed the child was not his.

Kind Regards

[River Tyne Lass]

Thank you.

Yes, that is exactly what I meant Cell.

Merry Christmas to you.

[Romilly]

This story reminded me of a book that I read some years ago by David Leitch, called, 'God Stand Up for Bastards'. There was also a sequel, 'Family Secrets'. When he was less than 2 weeks old, David Leitch was adopted through an advertisement in the 'Daily Express' and handed over at a train station. The books are about his long search to trace his biological Mother; which he did, but was then left with even more unanswered questions! No DNA testing then available, but certainly some similarities I think... Both fascinating stories anyway.

Romilly.

[River Tyne Lass]

What a sad story you mention, Romilly.  This reminds me of another one called 'Complete Surrender' by David Sharp .  There was an advert placed in a local paper stating:

'Wanted: home for baby boy: age 1: complete surrender.'

Two weeks later he was handed over to his adoptive parents at a railway station.  This is his story and how he was later reunited with his world famous novelist brother.  The book is described as the true story of a family's dark secret and the brothers who were tore apart at birth.

In the front of the book is a beautiful verse from the Bible:

'When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.'. Psalm 27, verse 10.

Another great read on child separation and reuniting is 'Finding Tipperary Mary'.

Merry Christmas Romilly!