![Police are scouring an area near Cooks River in Earlwood, Sydney, for signs of a newborn baby. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS) Police are scouring an area near Cooks River in Earlwood, Sydney, for signs of a newborn baby. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/7a25735e-2f64-4910-b8f0-bb17acc8dbe6.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
WHAT IS KNOWN SO FAR
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* A man who was walking his dog along Cooks River, at Earlwood in Sydney's southwest, found a placenta and umbilical cord next to the river about 4.30pm on Monday
* Police tested the material and confirmed they belonged to a human
* A large-scale search kicked off on Monday night and continued on Tuesday morning, with forensic teams, divers and a blood detection dog all on-site
* Authorities don't know who the woman is, if she gave birth at the river or went there afterwards, or when the birth take place
* Further forensic testing will be done on the placenta and cord on Tuesday in an attempt to find out who they belong to and the circumstances of the birth
* The mother is being urged to seek medical assistance or attend a local hospital, with police saying her health remains their priority
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beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Australian Associated Press