A YOUNG mother who concealed the body of her newborn son in a garden shed was suffering from depression, an inquest has heard.

The remains of Alfie Smith was found hidden in a cool box in a shed in Broadstairs on July 31 last year.

His mother, Michelle South, had kept the pregnancy a secret and gave birth in the bathroom of her home in Alexandra Road, Ramsgate, on April 25.

At the time, she believed her partner Darren Smith did not want any more children. They already had one young daughter, and were due to move back to Mr Smith’s family home in Broadstairs.

Miss South fought back tears as she told the court that the baby was born alive. She said: “I had him in the bathroom, at 11.30am.

“I had a bit of difficulty delivering his head, as it was stuck, so I had to put my hands around his neck and pull him out.”

After carrying the baby to the kitchen to cut the umbilical cord, Miss South washed, dressed and fed the baby, before having a rest.

At about 2.30pm, she went out to collect her daughter from her mother’s house. She changed the baby’s clothes, and put him in a car seat under the stairs.

She covered the seat with a sheet, and left the house. When she returned at about 4pm, the baby was dead.

Miss South said she did not know why she hid the baby, but insisted there was enough space under the sheet for him to breathe. She said: “I panicked, I wasn’t thinking straight.”

After discovering the baby, she wrapped him in a blanket and pillowcase “because he was cold” and hid him in a diving bag owned by Mr Smith.

She then put the bag in a box, and it was moved to the new house, in Prince Charles Road, Broadstairs, with the couple’s other belongings. She later hid the baby in a coolbox in the shed and concealed it behind other boxes.

On July 31 Mr Smith’s mother was searching her shed for the cool box. When she opened it she found the diving bag inside. She called her son to collect it, and he made the grim discovery.

When police were called, they arrested Miss South, and she later pleaded guilty to child neglect and concealing a birth. She was given a two-year supervision order in February 2004, and ordered to have psychiatric treatment.

Both Mr Smith and his mother, Pamela, described Miss South as an excellent mother to her daughter. Mr Smith said: “She is very loving, very caring and has never harmed her.”

After the baby’s death, the family discovered Miss South had been deeply depressed. Asked if he could understand why she hid the baby, he said: “At the time I couldn’t understand, but now I know she has been unwell for a long time, it is conceivable that she wouldn’t tell me.”

A post mortem was unable to determine the cause of death. Coroner Rebecca Cobb recorded an open verdict.