Halifax police say the search for a missing newborn baby has led to the discovery of human infant remains, with two people being charged in connection with the child’s death.
Police said they were redirected on Sunday to Prospect Road and the surrounding area after they received new information, finding the remains at about 3:20 p.m. in a wooded area off of Old Coach Road.
An autopsy by the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service will be conducted to determine cause and manner of death.
Officers were called at around 9:40 p.m. on Friday about a woman in life-threatening condition who appeared to have just given birth.
The woman was taken to hospital and remains in critical condition, though police said in a statement it is believed she experienced a medical emergency and they don’t believe her condition is the result of violence.
Four people known to the woman were taken into custody on Saturday for questioning. Two have since been released, but the other two are now facing charges.
Get breaking National news
A 23-year-old man, who is a relative of the woman, and his 26-year-old wife are facing charges of concealing the body of a child, obstruction, and indignity to a dead body.
“Moments like this are among the most difficult for first responders,” Donald MacLean, chief of Halifax Regional Police, said in a statement. “We feel the weight of this loss and are grieving with the community while working tirelessly to find answers.
“My sincere thanks go out to the officers and ground search and rescue teams for their dedication throughout this challenging search. I urge people to take care of themselves and reach out for support if they need it.”
The couple will appear in Halifax provincial court on Monday to face the charges.
The investigation is ongoing, police said.
—with files from Global News’ Prisha Dev
Comments
Comments closed.
Due to the sensitive and/or legal subject matter of some of the content on globalnews.ca, we reserve the ability to disable comments from time to time.
Please see our Commenting Policy for more.