New York

Baby Boy Found Dead in Playground Trash Can in Queens

"It isn't fair, it's just not right," the man who reported the body to police said

What to Know

  • A baby boy was found dead in a playground trash can in Queens Saturday
  • Police say they don't know how long the boy had been there but they believe he had died before the grisly discovery was made by passersby
  • A medical examiner will determine how the boy died as police continue their investigation into who left him there

The body of a baby boy was discovered in a trash can at a Queens playground on Saturday, police say.

The baby was found in the trash can of Dutch Kills Playground, near Public School 112 in Astoria, according to police. 

Devon Davis says he was walking at the playground around 10:30 a.m. Saturday when he noticed a strong smell.  

"I thought it was just like garbage or animals being run over," Davis said.

That's when he says one of his friends called him over to a trash can in shock. 

"When she called me over, she told me there was a baby in a trash can, like wrapped in a bag," Davis said. "I didn't know if he was dead or alive."

Police say they don't know how long the baby was in the trash can, but they believe he was dead before he was found in the trash can. 

After discovering the baby, Davis called 911 and lead paramedics to the baby, who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police say once the medical examiner determines the baby's cause of death, they will know how to investigate the case. 

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