Elderly woman found dead in a bin bag dumped in park had no teeth, police say

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By CAITLIN LENG

Published: 23:01 BST, 28 September 2026 | Updated: 23:10 BST, 28 September 2026

An elderly woman found dead in a bin bag after being dumped at a park had no teeth and was malnourished, police have said. 

Authorities were called to Stanley Park in Liverpool at around 5.25pm on Friday, August 28, after a member of the public discovered a black bin bag in the bushes of the walled garden. 

It was there officers from Merseyside Police sadly discovered the body of the woman, wearing a pink Nike T-shirt. It is thought her remains had been there since July. 

Despite repeated public appeals, police have not been able to identify the woman, believed to be aged around 70, approximately 5ft 2in tall and of slight build. 

A DNA profile created following forensic testing returned no matches on the national database, and as the woman had no teeth, comparing dental records was not possible.

The force has now confirmed the woman suffered from osteoporosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and arthritis in her hands. It also said she was malnourished, but it has not been possible to establish if that was due to her age or neglect.

Merseyside Police is continuing their inquiries to identify the woman and said occupants of nearly 900 properties nearby have been spoken to. The force has eliminated 126 possible women from their enquiries after concerns were raised for people matching her description.

Stanley Park in Liverpool, where the remains of an elderly woman were found in a bin bag

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald said the force is hoping referencing the woman's medical conditions will 'jog someone's memory and assist us in identifying her'. 

He said: 'Whilst we believe the woman to be aged around 70 we have not ruled out that she could be slightly younger or older and we would ask that people take that into consideration.'

Police have asked anyone who recognises the description of the woman or could further assist with their investigation to get in touch.

Members of the public with relevant information can contact the force on social media @MerPolCC, report information through their website or call 101 quoting reference number 26000706383.

A dedicated Public Portal has also been created, which allows people to send images or footage directly to the investigation team. A link to the portal can be found here. 

Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.