A quiet street in Perth’s north has become the focus of grief and sorrow after the body of a newborn baby boy was discovered in a stormwater drain earlier this week.
Tradies carrying out routine maintenance work on La Salle Road in Alexander Heights made the confronting discovery around 1pm on Monday. Police believe the child had been wrapped in a sheet and placed in the drain in the days before he was found.
On Wednesday night, WA Police confirmed a woman in her 30s is assisting detectives with their inquiries. She is said to be receiving “appropriate care and support”.
“The Western Australia Police Force would like to thank the community for their concern, support and assistance,” the force said in a statement.
Detectives had earlier appealed for information on the whereabouts of the baby’s mother, urging her to come forward for help.
Police Commissioner Col Blanch said investigators are following up on multiple calls from members of the public. “We’ve got some leads,” he said. “The job now is to sift through which ones may be relevant and which ones may not. Even if it doesn’t seem relevant, if you’re in the area, just ring up Crime Stoppers and tell us what you saw.”
Homicide squad detectives, along with forensic teams, have been examining the scene. Physical and forensic testing is ongoing, with officers even entering the stormwater drain to gather evidence.
Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Cleal described the case as “highly distressing and confronting”, particularly for the workers who made the chance discovery. “They were clearing the drains of debris and checking for blockages. This was routine work. There was no information that sent workers to that drain. This was a chance discovery,” he said. “They were very unprepared. Not that you can prepare for a discovery like this, but they were very unprepared.”
In the days since, local residents and strangers alike have left flowers, teddy bears and small tributes at the drain where the baby was found.
Police continue to urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Images: 9News, 7News
