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Police investigate babies' skeletal remains in Tameside house

13/05/2008

Police are investigating the discovery of the skeletal remains of two babies found in a box at an address in Audenshaw, Tameside.

Within the box were two more boxes - one pink, one blue - that each housed the remains. It is thought bones could date back around 50 years.

It has been reported that a relative of the occupant - an elderly woman now deceased - made the grim discovery while clearing out the house.

Police are hoping that a post-mortem on the two bodies will establish the cause of death. An anthropologist has been called in to work out how old the babies were when they died.

DNA tests will also be carried out to determine if the elderly woman was related to the dead babies.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "The bones are believed to be from two babies and had been at the address for some time.

"Inquiries are continuing."

According to the BBC, the elderly woman, who may have been in her 70s when she died, had eight known children.