Toronto: An Indian-origin couple has been arrested in Canada in connection with the discovery of the remains of a newborn.
Halifax Regional Police had been searching for a missing baby since Friday, but their quest ended in tragedy when the human remains of the infant were found in a wooded area in the capital of the province of Nova Scotia.
On May 22, around 9.40pm (local time), police were notified by medical staff of a woman in hospital in a life-threatening condition. She appeared to have just given birth but the baby could not be located, leading to the search.
As police began their combing operation, they also took four people into custody for questioning. In a release issued on Sunday, police said that after receiving new information, the search was redirected leading to the recovery of the body of the newborn. Police haven’t established where the baby was born.
The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death of the baby. The 23-year-old woman in hospital remains in critical condition. “Police believe the woman experienced a medical emergency and do not believe her condition is the result of violence,” the statement noted.
Of the four persons known to the woman taken into custody, two were charged on Sunday. Those charged were identified as 23-year-old Sukhpreet Singh, a relative of the unidentified woman, and his wife, 26-year-old Ramandeep Kaur. They will appear in Halifax provincial court on Monday to face the charges relating to concealing the body of a child, obstruction and indignity to a dead body. The investigation remains ongoing.
Halifax Police Chief Don MacLean said, “Moments like this are among the most difficult for first responders. We feel the weight of this loss and are grieving with the community while working tirelessly to find answers.”
