Police in Holsterhausen, a district in the northern Ruhr region, discovered the lifeless body of a woman and a deceased infant on a woodland path on Sunday morning. Passersby alerted the authorities around 6 a.m. after finding the two individuals, according to a joint statement from the Essen public prosecutor’s office and the Recklinghausen police department.

Preliminary investigations suggest that force was used in the incident, prompting the formation of a murder commission to lead the inquiry. The identities of the victims and the exact circumstances of the crime are currently under investigation, with no further details being released for tactical reasons.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police.