French prosecutors have opened a murder investigation after police discovered the suspected remains of five newborn infants inside cardboard boxes at an apartment in the south-eastern city of Orange.
The investigation began after a 32-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy at home on Sunday before being admitted to hospital the following day with abdominal pain.
Prosecutors said her 32-year-old partner, who had only discovered the pregnancy at a very late stage, searched the couple's second-floor flat after taking her to hospital and found what appeared to be human remains before alerting hospital staff, who contacted authorities.
An initial assessment by a forensic pathologist indicated the remains belonged to five newborn infants.
Prosecutors have ordered a post-mortem examination of the decomposed remains and anthropological analysis of the bones to establish when the infants died, how they died, their approximate ages and whether they are biologically related to the couple.
No charges have been announced, and investigators have not yet interviewed the mother because she remains in hospital receiving medical treatment.
Forensic Examinations Underway
According to the Orange prosecutor's office, the remains include the bones of four infants and the decomposing body of a fifth. A post-mortem examination has been ordered on the decomposed remains, while the bones will undergo specialised anthropological analysis to help establish the age of the infants, the age of the remains, the timing and cause of each death, and whether they are linked to the couple.
Police searched the apartment after the discovery and sealed the property while forensic officers continued collecting evidence. The investigation is being led by the French National Police's Division for Organised and Specialised Crime (DCOS).
Authorities said specialists are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the deaths before deciding whether criminal charges should follow.
Child Welfare Measures Ordered
The couple also have two children, aged eight and nine. Prosecutors said child welfare services had been instructed to carry out an urgent assessment of their situation, while a provisional placement order was issued for the newborn baby pending a hearing before a children's court judge.
The woman's partner told investigators he was unaware of any previous pregnancies. The prosecutor's office said the man was released after speaking with investigators while enquiries continue. Prosecutors said the mother has not yet been questioned because of her medical condition, and it was not immediately clear whether she had legal representation.
Investigation Continues as Detectives Seek Answers
Investigators are continuing to establish the identity of the infants, the timeline of each death and whether the couple are biologically related to all five children. Prosecutors said the findings of the post-mortem examination and laboratory analysis would play a central role in determining the next steps in the criminal investigation.
France has seen several high-profile criminal cases involving the deaths of newborn infants in recent years. In March, a French court sentenced a 44-year-old woman to 25 years in prison after the bodies of two newborn babies were found in a family freezer. In 2015, Dominique Cottrez was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted over the deaths of eight newborn infants, in a case in which the court found she had diminished responsibility.
