The body of a fully developed foetus, with placenta attached to it, was found floating on a river bank in Alberton, while the body of a man with head injuries was found a few kilometres away in Lenasia.

The grim discovery was made on Wednesday.

Netcare 911’s Shawn Herbst said they responded to a call for help, after a resident found a baby in a river.

“When paramedics arrived on scene, they found a fully developed foetus – with the placenta still attached to it – lying on the bank of a small stream, on the corners of Alwyn Taljaard and Du Plessis Road, in Alberton.

“The foetus was assessed but was declared deceased on the scene, by a Netcare 911 emergency care practitioner,” said Herbst.

Herbst said it was not clear how long the foetus had been exposed for and that the matter was handed over to police.

On the same day, the body of a man, believed to be in his 30s, was found with head injuries on the side of the road, in Lenasia Extension 10.

According to ER24’s Russel Meiring, the body was found after 8am, on the side of the R558.

“ER24 paramedics were called to the scene by members of the community and the local community policing forum.

“On arrival, paramedics found the body of a man, in his 30s, lying on the side of the road. The man was assessed and found to have sustained serious injuries to his head and face, and showed no signs of life,” said Meiring.