SINGAPORE : A baby was found dead in a rubbish chute at Block 45 Toa Payoh Lorong 5 on Sunday morning.
The mother of the child, a woman in her twenties, has been detained.
Police received a call about the incident at 10.30 am.
The baby was found wrapped in newspapers and placed in a red plastic bag.
It was born premature and was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.30 am.
It is unclear if the baby is a boy or girl, and police are still trying to determine who threw it down the chute.
The mother of the child, a Chinese woman in her early twenties, has been detained to assist in investigations.
She lives with her parents and a younger brother in a 5-room flat on the 18th floor of the block.
But it is not clear if the baby was thrown from the 18th floor.
The baby is believed to have been thrown down a common rubbish chute at the lift landing.
Neighbours say they were not even aware that the detained woman had been pregnant.
"It's not possible for this to happen. She's a very good girl. She's very respectful and acknowledges us and we'll talk," one neighbour said.
Described as good looking, she is believed to be an undergraduate at a local university.
There will be a coroner's inquiry into the case, which has been classified as infanticide.
Anyone convicted of infanticide can face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. - CNA
