The body of an infant was found buried under 30 cms of sand in Sydney's Maroubra Beach.
Two brothers, aged six and seven, who were digging at the southern end of the beach Sunday found the body, the Syney Morning Herald reported.
A police officer said that the depth at which the infant's body was found and the distance from the sea indicated the victim had been deliberately buried.
"The sex and age of the child are unable to be determined at this point due to the decomposition," he said.
Authorities have said that they held grave concerns for the baby's mother and urged her to come forward.
They have contacted local hospitals in the hope they might be able to track down details of any newborn baby who might be missing or unaccounted for.
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"We hope she sought medical assistance and that she feels confident enough to contact Eastern Beaches detectives," the officer said.
Homicide detectives are assisting local police with their investigations.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause of the child's death.