Constance Marten, 36, and her partner Mark Gordon, 49, are facing trial at the Old Bailey for the gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter, Victoria. Marten, an aristocrat, defended the conditions under which their baby was left, stating, “Babies don’t require that much to survive,” during her fifth day of testimony. Marten and Gordon had been evading authorities to avoid having Victoria taken into care, similar to their other children. Victoria’s severely decomposed body was discovered in a Lidl supermarket bag within an allotment shed. Marten, while tearfully admitting to placing the baby’s remains in the bag, described their situation as a “nightmare.”

Marten has denied endangering her daughter, attributing Victoria’s death to a “horrible accident” and describing their time camping as a “self-sacrificing act” for her daughter. Despite this, the prosecution has accused the couple of failing to provide adequate care, underlying the charges they face, which include perverting the course of justice and child cruelty.

During the trial, Marten revealed the lengths she went to in order to keep her children, including lying about her background. She also highlighted the support of her “influential” family towards social services when her children were taken into care, pointing out her family’s embarrassment over the children’s lack of an “upper-class privileged background.” Despite the complex family dynamics and the challenges with child welfare navigation, Marten expressed her extreme willingness to protect her child.

As the trial progresses, the prosecution is scrutinizing Marten and Gordon’s actions leading up to Victoria’s death. Despite a post-mortem examination failing to clarify the cause of death, the trial delves into the decisions and consequences faced by the couple. The couple has denied charges that include manslaughter by gross negligence, and the case continues to unfold at the Old Bailey, exposing the tragic circumstances of baby Victoria’s death.