Child's bones found during home renovations in Montreal

Disturbing find Human remains were found during the renovation of a Westmount home

The skeletal remains of a baby have been found in the basement of a Montreal family's home, where they appear to have been stashed away for several decades.

A contractor found the remains wrapped in old newspapers and concealed in the ceiling, in the basement of a house in Montreal's Westmount neighbourhood.

The contractor says the bones fell from their hiding spot while he was conducting work in the furnace room. He initially thought they belonged to an animal, but was soon shocked to see they were those of a baby.

The contractor did not see any dates on the newspapers, but he told a local radio station there were several references to former Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis. Duplessis was in office from 1936-1939, and then again from 1944-1959.

The family in the home has declined to speak publicly, but they have been assisting police with the investigation.

"They're providing all the information to investigators to try to understand a little bit more of the past of the house," Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant said.

The bones will be submitted for DNA testing, but results could take up to a year, Brabant said. Investigators are also looking into the history of the house, to determine who lived there 58-71 years ago.

With files from CTV Montreal