Police hunt mother as newborn baby found in bushes in residential area

Police are hunting the heartless mother of a newborn baby girl found dead in tall grass on the roadside in Thailand.

Resident Sunan Phukliang, 51, was driving his pickup truck through the overgrown area when he spotted what he initially thought was a discarded doll lying in the grass in Pathum Thani, on the outskirts of Bangkok, on September 7.

But he became suspicious after noticing flies swarming around the pale object. He drove back home to pick up his son, and the pair walked off the road to take a closer look.

They were horrified to discover the decomposing naked body of a newborn and immediately notified local authorities at 5:10 pm local time.

Police rushed to the scene, where they found the infant with its umbilical cord still attached. The corpse was bloated and emitted a foul smell, while maggots and flies had gathered around it.

Another section of umbilical cord was found some 16 feet away.

Police believe the baby had been dead for two to three days, and may have been dragged away by stray dogs, based on the abrasions on the girl's back.

The remains were taken to Thailand's Institute of Forensic Science for a detailed post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Phakkanit Thanomjit of Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station said: ‘We will send an investigation team to inspect CCTV footage at the entrance of the road to identify the individual who abandoned the baby for prosecution.

‘We assigned rescuers to transport the infant's body to the Central Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.'

Officers said they were also investigating recently pregnant women in the area to determine the mother's identity.

Under Thai Penal Code Section 306, the mother may be charged with abandonment , which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 60,000 Baht, or both.

The grim discovery comes after security officer Sasawat Pinthong, 23, found a live newborn near a rubbish pile outside a hotel in Bangkok just a week earlier.

Police reviewed CCTV footage from four cameras and arrested the mother, who allegedly said she gave birth alone after being abandoned by her boyfriend. She claimed to have left the baby in the rubbish hoping someone would find and care for her.