Post-mortem for plastic bag baby

Police at Burnside Culvert. Photo / Michael Craig

Police say a post mortem will be held tomorrow to determine how a newborn baby, found in a red plastic bag in a stream south of Auckland, died.

Counties Manukau Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) members are investigating the discovery of the baby's body in a stream on Burnside Road, Ardmore.

The site of the discovery is near the home of country's most successful harness racer, Tony Herlihy, who was last night at Albion Park in Brisbane watching horses he had trained.

"I don't know anything about it," he said.

Wife Suzanne Herlihy was at home and said the discovery was not directly linked to her family.

"I do know but I'm not saying. It is a police investigation."

A second crime scene had been set up 200m away at Burnside Culvert.

Detectives waded through long grass and emerged minutes later with a plastic bag containing the body of the baby. The creek was cordoned off with white tape and two officers were on site overnight.

Inspector Bruce Burd said the body had been discovered by someone who had seen the plastic bag in the creek.

"He found what he believed to be a baby. We've now confirmed this."

The man who found the body was being interviewed at Papakura police station last night.

Burd said the main investigation was focused on Burnside Culvert. Asked if it was linked to the other crime scene at Herlihy's home, he said: "We need to determine the facts and see what the connections are."

Police could not determine the age of the baby, but in a statement this morning described it as "new-born".

Counties Manukau Police say they're following a strong line of enquiry.

Herlihy rose to harness racing mastery after almost a decade working from the Ardmore property.

He moved there with brother-in-law Mark Purdon in 1990. Herlihy has driven more than 3000 horses to victory, more than any other New Zealand trainer.