Police hunt heartless mother as newborn baby found dead inside plastic bag dumped in canal

Police are hunting the mother of a decomposed body of a baby that was found inside a plastic bag floating on a canal.

A villager made the gruesome discovery while walking past the canal in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on July 17.

The resident said he saw a suspicious plastic bag tangled in weeds at the Lam Chakkarat canal at around 7 am local time.

He used a stick to move the bag before seeing what appeared to be a baby's tiny hand protruding from the plastic.

Neighbours helped retrieve the bag before police and rescue workers were called to the scene.

They opened the bag and discovered a foetus estimated to be around four to five months old.

Officers said the arms and legs were still relatively intact, but much of the head and torso had already decomposed.

The remains were taken for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

Police believe the infant had died before the body was dumped in the canal, allegedly to conceal the death.

Police Captain Nukul Petking said: 'We believe the mother may have been facing an unplanned pregnancy and could have taken abortion-inducing medication or given birth prematurely before reaching a hospital.

‘After realising the baby had died, she may have panicked, placed the body in a plastic bag and discarded it in the canal.

‘It remains unclear whether the mother is a local resident or someone from outside the area.

‘We will continue investigating to establish the facts and proceed with legal action.'

Police are hunting the mother while trying to determine if she is a resident in the area.

She may be charged with abandonment under Thai Penal Code Section 306, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 6,000 Baht, or both.