An umbilical cord which was recently found on the banks of a Sydney river belonged to a baby boy, police have revealed.
Authorities are still searching for the baby and his mother, after an umbilical cord and placenta was found by a dog walker at the Cooks River in Earlwood, in Sydney’s west, at about 4.30pm on Monday.
Forensic testing has confirmed the baby is a boy.
Police are yet to confirm whether the baby was born on the river bank or elsewhere.
Authorities are still searching for a baby boy and his mother, after an umbilical cord and placenta was found by a dog walker at the Cooks River in Earlwood
An umbilical cord found on banks of the Cooks River (pictured) belonged to a baby boy
Authorities have urged the mother to attend her nearest hospital to receive urgent care for herself and her son, a sentiment which was strongly echoed by NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
‘My heart absolutely goes out to this mother and her young baby,’ he said on Tuesday.
‘I want to say this very clearly to her if she’s listening, or if her friends and family who are no doubt in distress or listening: You’re not in trouble.
‘You don’t have to talk to the police. The only thing I ask that you do is make your way to one of our hospitals so that we can care for you and your baby as quickly as possible.’
Detective Chief Superintendent Christine McDonald acknowledged that childbirth could be a ‘traumatic’ and ‘distressing’ time for many people.
‘I am deeply concerned for the safety and the mental health of the mother,’ she said.
Police divers are seen scouring the mangroves at the waters edge
A sniffer dog and its handler is seen on the banks of the Cooks River on Tuesday
‘I need to know that she’s safe and I need to know that she is receiving the support that she needs right now.’
She urged any homes or businesses in Earlwood with CCTV of a distressed pregnant woman to contact Burwood Police or Crime Stoppers.
It comes as the dog walker who discovered the placenta and umbilical cord detailed the moment he spotted the organs on a muddy riverbank.
‘It was just sitting on top of the mud, the water was quite a distance away,’ he said.
‘[I’ve] seen three births so you kind of know what you’re looking at. 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.’
Police have not found any evidence to indicate the child was harmed.
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