Two people are facing charges after police discovered the body of a newborn inside a bag behind a home in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Officers were called to 375 Lake Ave. on Monday at 8:43 a.m. after receiving a report of an unusual odor coming from a bag.
The person who had called police said they were concerned of the contents inside.
After a brief investigation, police determined that the bag had been moved and was now behind another home at 384 Lake Ave.
When officers responded to the new location behind the property in the woods, they located a garbage bag which was emitting a strong odor. Inside the bag, officers located the body of a newborn baby.
While officers were on the scene, they allegedly observed two people walking on the railroad tracks behind the address.
They were identified as Edwin Santiago, 31, and Jennifer Rheaume, 36, both of whom live at the Lake Avenue properties.
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"They asked me if there was anything strange going on," said Don Lamontagne, who lives next to the crime scene.
After an investigation, police placed Santiago and Rheaume under arrest and charged them with removal of a human body and concealment of the death of a child.
"I think it’s horrible," said neighbor Carolyn Fikucki. "I’ve seem them have a verbal altercation, and then she left and ran across the street."
The exact cause of the newborn's death is unknown pending autopsy results. The Department of Children and Families was notified of the death.
"The Department of Children and Families has received a report on this situation and is conducting an investigation in collaboration with law enforcement," said DCF spokesperson Andrea Grossman.
