‘No judgment’: Police issue desperate plea for mother who gave birth on banks of Cooks River in Earlwood
Police have made a desperate appeal to a woman who is believed to have given birth near a river in Sydney, saying there is “no judgment”, only concern for her wellbeing.
Police were called to the banks of the Cooks River in Earlwood at 4.30pm on Monday when a passerby spotted “signs of a birth” near mangroves — later confirmed to be a human placenta and umbilical cord.
The search for the mother and baby intensified on Tuesday morning, with police divers and blood detection dogs arriving at the Lang Road scene.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Burwood Police Area Command Det-Chief Supt. Christine McDonald said officers were “working against the clock” to locate the mother and baby, who they hold “extreme concern” for and have asked to present to health services immediately.
“Childbirth for many people can be a traumatic time and it can be very distressing. I am deeply concerned for the safety and mental health of the mother and also for the safety of her baby,” Det-Chief Supt. McDonald said.
“I ask that she comes forward to health services, to police, to anyone that can offer her any form of support during this very difficult time. I need to know that she is safe and I need to know that she is receiving the support that she needs right now.
Police do not know whether the woman gave birth at the river, but insisted there was “no judgement” for the mother.
“They need to know that we are concerned for them, that we are wanting to know they are safe,” she said.
“As we know childbirth presents a number of health concerns hence why we are requesting the mother goes straight to a hospital and speaks to health professionals.”
Anyone who was in the area of Lang Road, Wardell Road, Tennent Parade and Ewen Park in the Earlwood and Hurlstone Park areas who noticed a “distressed woman or pregnant woman” are urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
The placenta and umbilical cord were sent for pathological testing, which police say will determine the gestation and gender of the baby, and how long the discharge was left at the site.
