Mom Charged After Allegedly Concealing Her Dead Newborn Baby in a Storm Drain: Police By Latoya Gayle

A mother has been charged with allegedly hiding the body of her baby boy after the newborn was found dead in a storm drain in Australia.

On Monday, Aug. 18, two maintenance workers were doing routine checks at Alexander Heights on La Salle Road in suburban Perth when they found the child’s body that afternoon, local news outlets 7 News, ABC News and News.com reported, citing WA Police. 

Police allege that the baby was not killed in violent circumstances and said evidence suggests he had been in the drain for a “short amount of time” before he was found wrapped in a sheet, per the outlets.

A 31-year-old woman, identified as the child’s mother, was charged with concealing the birth of a deceased child after being tracked down by detectives on Wednesday, 7 News and The Guardian reported.

“The woman is continuing to receive appropriate care and support,” Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo said of the mother, according to the outlet. “We’re extremely lucky that the two tradesmen came across that child.

“As you can imagine, it is a highly distressing and confronting thing for anyone to come across and we’re just thankful that the tradesmen alerted police as quickly as they did,” Securo continued.

Securo said that due to the mother’s “vulnerable” situation, their priority has been getting her medical care and mental health support.

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However, their investigation into the circumstances of the child’s death is ongoing.

“The mother is cooperating with the police. Our priority is to give her both that physical and health support,” Securo added, per 7 News.

Police have also been taking help from the public, medical centers and reviewing CCTV footage, according to News.com.

Ahead of a vigil scheduled for Saturday, flowers and stuffed children’s toys have been placed next to where the child was found, per the outlet. 

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The mother is expected to appear at Perth Magistrates Court on Sept. 12, 7 News reported.

“I can’t answer at this stage if charges will be upgraded or not as the investigation is still in its early stages,” Securo said, according to ABC News.

WA Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Friday, Aug. 22.