Body of baby boy found near Ajman mosque

AJMAN // The body of a five-month-old Asian boy who was believed to have been murdered has been found near a mosque, police have confirmed.

The boy's body was discovered wrapped in clothing near the mosque entrance, a police spokesman said yesterday. Authorities have begun inquiries and called upon local residents and hospital staff to come forward with any information they might have.

"We have taken the body to a forensic laboratory for a post-mortem," the spokesman said. "A thorough investigation will be launched after the forensics department release their report."

The abandoned baby is the third in Ajman this year and the second to be found dead in the Northern Emirates in two years.

The remains of a seven-month-old girl were discovered near the Sharjah aquarium last year. Doctors at Al Qasimi Hospital were unable to determine whether she had been alive when abandoned and there was no indication of violence.

Authorities in the region have been relatively successful at arresting parents of abandoned babies. Three of the parents of two abandoned babies in a Sharjah mosque were arrested in August.

Ajman authorities detained the mother and father of a baby girl found abandoned in a basket earlier this year.

In an unrelated incident, Kalba police have discovered a body of an Indian man at a farm where he was working. His remains were found on Tuesday morning and were believed to have been found about a day after he died.

His body has been transferred to the Sharjah police forensic laboratory.

ykakande@thenational.ae