Dead baby at dump ‘may have been smothered’

A baby girl found dead on a conveyor belt at a waste recycling plant was born alive and may have been shaken or smothered, an inquest heard.

Baby S was found at Sackers in Needham Market, Suffolk after a delivery of waste from commercial bins on May 14, 2020. A pathologist said causes of her fatal injuries could have included a traumatic birth, shaking or smothering, but could not determine which it was.

Suffolk’s senior coroner Nigel Parsley recorded an open conclusion on the death of the baby, who was dark-skinned, possibly of African descent, born full-term and no more than 24 hours old when she died.