A grim discovery in the search for a mother and her newborn child has forced police to change tack in their investigation.
Officers have been looking for a mother and baby since Monday afternoon after a passer-by located an umbilical cord and placenta on the muddy riverbank of the Cooks River at Earlwood in Sydney’s southwest.
A new area of interest near the riverbank was identified by officers on Tuesday, with a blue tarp put up as they searched with the belief new material may be found there.
After searching the site however, police dug up a dead cat and called a false alarm as a result.
Tony Robson and his wife were walking their two dogs on Monday afternoon when he found the evidence of a birth on the edge of the river.
Mr Robson told 7News he knew immediately what he had discovered, having been at the births of his three children.
“I couldn’t think what else it could be. It looked about the right size for a human. My wife took a photo of it, and we called the police,” he said.
NSW Police hold grave fears for the woman and her child as they continue to investigate the incident.
“They need to know we are concerned for them. We are wanting to know they are safe,” Detective Chief Superintendent Christine McDonald said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Det Chief Supt McDonald said there was “no judgement” as police just wanted to ensure the mother and newborn were safe.
“The mother would be in some form of discomfort I would imagine,” she said.
“Therefore, her mental health and general health is really important to us… We want to make sure she is safe.”