A husband in Orange, France, discovered the decomposing bodies of five infants hidden in cardboard boxes within his home on Monday, following an argument with his wife. The discovery occurred the day after his wife, 32, gave birth to a healthy baby boy at home.
The argument reportedly stemmed from the husband's recent learning of his wife's pregnancies, as she had allegedly denied being pregnant multiple times. During the dispute, the wife began experiencing abdominal pain and was taken to a hospital, at which point the husband investigated the boxes they had been arguing about. Inside, he found the remains of five decomposing infants. The boxes containing the remains were reportedly stuffed inside a large plastic bag on the second floor of the home.
The husband brought the bag to the hospital, which then alerted the police. A forensic pathologist has confirmed the remains belong to five infants. Further autopsies are expected. The prosecutor's office stated that the husband claimed ignorance of his partner's pregnancies and has since been released. The wife remains hospitalized and has not been taken into custody or questioned.
A murder investigation has been opened, but no arrests have been made. Child welfare services are monitoring the situation, as the couple has two other children, aged 8 and 12. A provisional placement order has been issued for the newborn.
Neighbors described the couple, both in their 30s, as "charming" and "normal people." They had reportedly lived in the home for two years and had no prior history of problems. The wife was a stay-at-home mother, and the husband was employed.