Police say they found a baby’s body in a wooded area Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.
Officers are investigating the death of the baby, who was found in the woods near an intersection in Kansas City at around 7:45 p.m. Saturday, according to KMBC. Police confirmed the person who called in the discovery of the body had been in the woods and helped officers locate the body of a young baby who appeared to have been dead for some time, the outlet reported.
A full complement of investigators and detectives processed the scene, KMBC continued. The case will remain an ongoing investigation, with results from the medical examiner expected to shed light on the official cause of death.
Retired Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte posted about the discovery on his Twitter feed, sharing two photographs from the scene. Local reporters also covered the news, sharing images of the wooded area where the baby’s body was reportedly found.
KCPD is investigating the death of a young baby after a body was discovered in the woods Saturday.
Crime scene tape is still up, blocking off a large wooded area near East 41st & Pitman Road.
Police say the baby’s body was found in a state of decay. The age is not known. @kmbc pic.twitter.com/Ihw7QWwWDs
— Peyton Headlee KMBC (@PeytonKMBC) May 14, 2023
“It’s hard, you know, not knowing the full story is hard. I know every one of these investigators wants to know what happened and what led to this, whatever the explanation is. We pray that someone didn’t intentionally hurt this baby,” Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) Sgt. Jake Becchina told KMBC.
Residents of the area said the situation was sad, but not necessarily a surprise, according to the outlet. “I’m pretty sure all my neighbors would have the same reaction,” one neighbor said. “It’s not surprising. Just like gunshots regularly. You never know.” (RELATED: Rotting Body Went Unnoticed Inside Apartment For Six Years)
The area apparently receives a lot of foot traffic, the same neighbor told the outlet. “Constantly, people walking up, you never know what you’re going to see,” she said. Investigators have asked individuals in the community to speak up, as the case is expected to be “one of [KCPD’s] biggest tasks.”