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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Josh Taylor

Newborn baby’s body found in Sydney rubbish bin as police hold ‘serious concerns’ for mother

Police tape restricts access to a crime scene in Melbourne's north, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING
A crime scene has been established and detectives have begun an investigation into the incident. The newborn baby boy’s body was found in a rubbish bin in Harrow Road in Auburn, Sydney. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

New South Wales police have appealed for information to find the mother of a newborn baby boy, whose body was discovered in a rubbish bin in Auburn in Sydney’s west on Monday morning.

Police said emergency services responded to reports of the body of a baby located in a rubbish bin at a unit block along Harrow Road in Auburn at 11.20am, with officers from the Auburn police area command finding the body of a newborn boy.

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Acting superintendent of the Auburn area police command, Darren Sly, told reporters that the baby’s body was discovered by a local resident putting out the rubbish.

The baby was unclothed and was in a plastic rubbish bag, Sly said.

“It’s a sad set of circumstances,” Sly said.

“Our number one priority and our number one concern is that of the mother.”

A crime scene has been established and detectives have commenced an investigation into the incident.

Police said they hold “serious concerns” for the welfare of the baby’s mother, and have urged the mother to attend the nearest hospital to receive urgent care.

Sly told 2GB radio it was believed the baby was born in the past 36 hours, but the body will need to be examined more thoroughly.

Anyone with more information about the incident, or who was in the area at the time and may have dashcam or mobile footage relevant to the incident, are urged to contact Auburn police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Sly said police were door-knocking in the area and looking for CCTV.

“All the small bits of information can obviously piece together to hopefully track down this mother,” he said.

“I appeal to the mother to come forward, to go immediately to your closest hospital and seek treatment.”

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