CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A fetus believed to be around seven months old was found dead inside a canal in Barangay Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City, on Wednesday morning, September 16, prompting authorities and barangay officials to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding its discovery.
The fetus was reportedly spotted inside a canal within a subdivision in the barangay. Initial information indicated that the head appeared to have sustained injuries, although the exact cause of death and the circumstances that led to the fetus being found in the area have yet to be officially established.
A concerned resident, identified as Eva Mae Tan Goyone, reportedly called attention to the discovery and appealed for immediate assistance from barangay authorities after the fetus was found.
The discovery quickly drew the attention of local officials, who began coordinating with authorities to determine how the fetus ended up in the canal and who may have been responsible for abandoning it there.
The Barangay Bugo Council is reportedly monitoring the area and checking for individuals who may have passed through the vicinity around the time the fetus was believed to have been discarded.
Authorities are also expected to examine available closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from nearby areas and establishments that could help establish the movements of people in and around the location.
Investigators are also expected to determine the identity of the mother or parents and establish whether the fetus was already dead before it was placed in the canal or whether injuries sustained before or after the abandonment contributed to its death.
The remains were to be subjected to the appropriate examination to help authorities establish the cause and manner of death. Investigators will also document the condition and location where the fetus was found as part of the evidence-gathering process.
As of publication, no suspect had been publicly identified or arrested in connection with the incident.
Authorities urged residents who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the area, particularly during the hours before the discovery, to provide information that could assist the investigation.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities have yet to release further details regarding the identity of the fetus, the possible mother, or the circumstances surrounding its death and abandonment.