WESTERN BUREAU:

Investigators in St James were yesterday hard-pressed to unravel the circumstances that resulted in the death of a baby boy who was found dumped in a skip in Montego Bay.

The baby was reportedly discovered in a box by garbage collectors during a routine pick-up in the area, which borders King Street and Appleton Hall.

There was a small crowd as police personnel processed the scene and photographed the infant, whose mouth had been stuffed with tissue.

Compactor jammed

"We lift up the skip and a put it back down when the compactor jammed," recalled Leroy 'Con' Smith, driver of the privately contracted garbage truck.

"If it wasn't for the wheelbarrow in the skip, the baby would be gone in the compactor and crush out."

Smith and his colleagues said that on removing the wheelbarrow some time after 10:30 a.m., they saw that it contained a cardboard box. The box was searched and a plastic package was seen. The package was unwrapped and the baby - believed to be no older than six weeks - was found wrapped in a white towel.

The men said they called the residents' attention to their find and summoned the police.