On Monday afternoon, police made an alarming find: a bloodied placenta and other evidence of childbirth were discovered in a Mississauga, Ont. park, prompting police to issue a public call in hopes of locating the mother and newborn child.
It turns out that the mother is not in distress and the child isn’t a newborn, Peel Regional Police said Tuesday. The unusual discovery was actually part of a “holistic” ritual to mark the baby’s first birthday.
Police said the 27-year-old mother came forward Tuesday afternoon to clarify that she and her one-year-old child are safe and healthy.
According to police, the mother collected and froze the placenta, umbilical cord and forceps after giving birth to the child with a midwife last year.
On her child’s first birthday -- which was Monday -- the woman visited Sugar Maple Woods Park and left the frozen innards. The mother said she did it for “holistic purposes” as a way to return the organic material to nature.
The woman contacted police after family members learned of the police search and suggested she reach out.
The midwife has also clarified the version of events, police said.
The discovery was made Monday afternoon around 4 p.m. by a passerby who was walking their dog through the park, located near Duncairn drive and Glen Erin drive in Mississauga.
With a report from CTV Toronto
