Investigation into dumped placentas

Photo / Martin Sykes

Police investigating the discovery of two babies' placentas near Raglan in the Waikato are awaiting the results of forensic analysis and reports from health providers before determining the next phase in their case.

Police yesterday said no-one had come forward to claim responsibility for the find and today Waikato district field crime supervisor, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead, in a statement, said the placentas had been sent to ESR for analysis.

"We hope the results from this will help us determine a time line. At the same time we're hoping requests to health care providers for information on recent births will be in by the end of the weekend.

"As we said on Friday, disposing of a placenta is not an offence but police need to be able to determine the safety and well-being of the children and mother or mothers involved."

The placentas were found by officers on Wednesday in a creek bed in the Te Toto Gorge, south west of Raglan.

They appeared to have been only "exposed to the elements" for a short time, and police believed they could have come from the birth of twins.

Initial enquires excluded all recorded twin births at Waikato Hospital within the likely time frame

Anyone with any information was asked to contact the Hamilton central police station or information could be left anonymously on the confidential CrimeStoppers crimeline, 0800 555111.

- NZPA