Foetus found in gift box under Christmas tree

A south Texas couple put an aborted seven-month-old foetus in a gift box under a Christmas tree after they were unable to flush the remains down a toilet, authorities alleged yesterday.

Ruby Lee Medina (aged 31) and Javier Gonzalez (aged 37), of Mission, have been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

San Juan Police Chief Juan Gonzalez said police found the foetus inside the woman’s trailer home on Thursday after getting an anonymous tip.

Post-mortem examination results are pending, but Mr Gonzalez said police believe the woman used pills to induce an abortion on Thursday, then called an ambulance after she began bleeding and told doctors she did not know where the foetus was.

The police chief said the couple tried to flush the foetus down the toilet, but that did not work.

“Apparently they cleaned up the foetus and they placed it inside a gift box under the Christmas tree,” the police chief said.