Police are questioning a woman in her 50s for allegedly discarding the body of her baby born in 2015 after the boy, who was suffering from Down syndrome, died within days. 

The Gwacheon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province said Saturday that they arrested the mother on charges of child abuse and abandonment of a corpse.

The woman reportedly told police that she buried the body at a family grave site in the provinces. Notified by Gwacheon officials on Friday, the police detained the woman at her home and plans to investigate other family members as well.

One police official noted a formal investigation has yet to begin on the suspect and declined to confirm any related details.

Police are dealing with a growing number of cases in recent days involving unregistered children whose birth records exist but are not registered with the state.

In another case, a woman in her 20s arrested in Suwon is being questioned on charges of neglecting the baby she gave birth to in 2019 to death. 

The police have also referred to the prosecution a mother accused of killing two of her newborns and hiding their bodies in the refrigerator.