A blood detection dog and police divers will investigate a new site along the Cooks River in south-west Sydney as police continue their search for a woman believed to have given birth nearby yesterday.
Police said emergency services were called to the bank of the Cooks River near Wardell Road in Earlwood at 4.30pm yesterday after evidence was found that suggested a baby had been born there.
Police are investigating, saying they “hold serious concerns for the welfare of the child and its mother”.
“Officers attached to Burwood Police Area Command arrived to find evidence that a child had been born near the water,” police said.
Officers are urging the mother to attend her nearest hospital to receive urgent care for herself and her child.
Burwood Superintendent Christine McDonald confirmed this morning that a placenta and an umbilical cord had been found among mangroves by the river.
They have been sent for priority testing, with results hoped for today.
Just prior to a 10am press conference, McDonald said a new site had been discovered and crime scene investigators had been recalled.
She did not specify what about the site drew police attention, but said a blood detection dog would be deployed.
She again urged the mother to seek urgent medical care and for anybody with information to come forward.
“I am deeply concerned for safety and mental health of the mother and for the safety of her baby,” she said.
“I need to know that she is safe and I need to know she is receiving the support she needs right now.”
She said there was “no judgement” involved in the investigation and no evidence so far the baby had been intentionally harmed.
Police have appealed for anyone who lives in or was in the areas of Wardell Road and Lang Road, Earlwood, and Tennent Parade, Hurlstone Park and Ewen Park, Hurlstone Park yesterday afternoon, and may have seen a woman in distress, to contact Burwood Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
And anyone with CCTV vision or information about the incident is also urged to contact police.