THE body of a mangled and sun-burnt male baby was found at the beachfront in a settlement in Port Moresby yesterday morning.
The foetus , believed to be between seven and eight months old, was found inside a styrofoam box floating at sea off the Vanagi settlement beach just next to the Badili suburb.
First Const Elsie Emiabo from the Badili police station said it was not known who the mother of the baby was.
She said police had appealed to residents in the area to report any pregnant woman who may no longer be seen in the village.
The almost fully-developed body of the baby had brown patches on its back, believed to have been scorched after long exposure in the sun.
It had an open wound in its head and a bruised shoulder.
Const Emiabo said the mother, after giving birth, could have decided to kill the baby.
The floating box was spotted by some students from the Badili Technical School.
The Boroko police homicide division will be investigating the case.