Post-mortem of buried baby finished

Police and ESR staff investigate a backyard in Churton Park, Wellington, where a baby was found buried. Photo / NZPA

A post-mortem has been carried out on the body of a newborn baby boy found buried at a Wellington house.

However, police were not releasing details about the examination which was conducted today, Detective Senior Sergeant Donna Howard, of Wellington Criminal Investigation Bureau, said.

The post-mortem would help police decide if the death was suspicious, or should be referred to the coroner.

Police had a "considerable number" of witnesses to interview, and were still inspecting the backyard of the two-storey house where the baby's body was found, Ms Howard said.

A 21-year-old woman, the baby's mother, and a 21-year-old male engineer, both from Churton Park, appeared in Wellington District Court yesterday charged with disposing of a child's body with intent to conceal the fact of its birth.

The pair were granted interim name suppression until their next appearance on October 20.

Police said the man was not the baby's father.

The child's body was found after occupants at a house in Churton Park contacted police on Tuesday.

- NZPA