Plumbers' Fetus Discovery in a Sewer Pipe Leads to Philly Police Investigation

A disturbing discovering in a sewer pipe on Monday has led to a Philadelphia police investigation. In the city's Kensington neighborhood, contractors working on a clogged toilet found the remains of a human fetus. Philly.com reports:

Two plumbers opened a pipe in the basement of a home in the 800 block of East Russell Street about 4 p.m. and found the remains while removing debris from a pipe leading to a second-floor toilet, Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

They dialed 911, and responding officers and investigators determined the remains were human, Small said.

The fetus was about 6 inches long and showed no signs of decomposition, he said.

While authorities aren't yet sure how developed the baby was, they estimate that it was between three and four months in the development stage. Aside from looking into how the baby made its way into the sewer pipe, police will be doing an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

"It may not be a crime scene," says Chief Inspector Scott Small. "We're still going to look into how developed the child was. But at this point it appears that someone may have had a miscarriage."

Authorities, though, are still exploring the possibilities. Police have already interviewed a couple in their 60s who live in the house to determine if anything criminal took place. The couple's adult daughter, who neighbors say they do not believe was pregnant and who also lives in the home, wasn't there when investigators arrived. It is possible, officials claim, that a pregnant woman was renting a room at the home.

A "for rent" sign is currently outside -- which causes one to wonder if this theory holds merit. Investigators will continue to explore who else may have been on the property of late.

(H/T: NBC Philadelphia)