Mystery mum delivered boy before river find, tests show

Source: NSW Police
A missing mother who might have given birth next to a Sydney river delivered a baby boy, forensic tests have revealed.
Police issued a further plea for information about the woman and baby on Thursday.
They are yet to track down either three days after a dog walker discovered a placenta and umbilical cord on the banks of the Cooks River at Earlwood.
Testing of the material revealed the placenta and cord belonged to a baby boy, police said.
Authorities have feared for the safety of both the mother and child since the material was found on Monday afternoon by the suburban riverside, which is about 10 kilometres south-west of the city centre.
The mother is still being urged to seek medical attention and attend a nearby hospital, as police insist the health of her and her son remains their top priority.
“Police hold serious concerns for the welfare of the child and his mother,” a NSW Police statement said.
“Officers are urging the mother to attend her nearest hospital to receive urgent care for herself and her child.”
A full-scale search of the area on Tuesday found no evidence the baby had been harmed. Nor did it reveal any immediate clues to why the placenta and umbilical cord had been left there.
Police divers and a blood detection dog were called in before the search wrapped up later that day.
The Cooks River flows from Yagoona in Sydney’s outer south-west and runs into Botany Bay at Kyeemagh, 23 kilometres away.
Sections are heavily polluted as a result of traffic congestion, litter, sewage, illegal dumping and industrial and domestic activities.
-with AAP