Police are using divers and a blood detection dog to find a mother and her newborn baby after discovering evidence suggesting she may have given birth on a Sydney riverbank.
A local resident walking his dog found what police believe to be a placenta and umbilical cord next to the Cooks River at Earlwood in the city’s south-west on Monday afternoon. Tests confirmed they were human.
Concerns for the mother and baby’s welfare led detectives to establish a crime scene, urging the mother to seek urgent care at the nearest hospital.
Superintendent Christine McDonald stated that lights were brought in for a large-scale search Monday night, which resumed Tuesday morning with divers scouring the mangroves and water’s edge.
McDonald highlighted the challenge of the muddy terrain, indicating it would take time to process the scene. A blood detection dog joined the search after identifying areas needing further examination.
Initial excitement over a potential discovery turned out to be a false alarm when a freshly buried cat was found instead.
McDonald stressed the urgency of finding the mother and child, urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers and hospitals.
The search, spanning Lang Road, Wardell Road, Ewen Park, and Tennent Parade, solicited witnesses who might have seen a distressed woman on Monday.
Concerned for the safety and mental health of the mother and child, McDonald emphasized the non-judgmental nature of the search, underlining the need for their safety.
As of now, there’s no evidence of harm to the baby. Tests on the placenta and umbilical cord aim to determine gestation, gender, and how long they were at the river.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park expressed sympathy for the mother and child, urging her to seek medical care promptly without fear of trouble or police questioning.
Park acknowledged the unimaginable ordeal the mother might be enduring, emphasizing the priority of their well-being.
