Prosecutors in France announced Tuesday that police have uncovered bones and a decomposing body believed to belong to five infants at a residence in the southern city of Orange, setting off a criminal murder investigation.
The disturbing discovery came to light after a 32-year-old woman — who is already the mother of two children, ages 8 and 9 — gave birth to a baby at home on Sunday.
According to prosecutors, the woman’s partner, who was 32 years old, was deeply shaken upon learning of her pregnancy at a very advanced stage. He began searching through their home and came across what appeared to be human remains. He then contacted authorities through the hospital where the woman was being treated.
Police searched the couple’s home, and prosecutors formally opened a criminal investigation into suspected murder on Monday. A forensic pathologist called to the scene concluded, based on initial findings, that the discovered bones and decomposing body were consistent with the remains of five infants.
The man told police he had no knowledge of any previous pregnancies involving his partner.
Child welfare services were called upon by the prosecutor’s office to urgently evaluate the living situation of the couple’s two older children, aged 8 and 9. A provisional placement order was also issued for the baby born Sunday, pending a review by a children’s court judge.
The mother remains hospitalized — she was brought to the hospital a day after giving birth at home — and has not yet been questioned by investigators. It was unclear at the time of reporting whether she had obtained legal representation.
Prosecutors said a post-mortem examination has been ordered on the decomposing body, while the bones are set to undergo anthropological analysis at a laboratory.
