The discovery of the lifeless body of a three-month old baby by his grandmother in Guanacaste on Sunday, November 17, 2013, has prompted a forensic investigation. According to a news article by Cythia Bran of national newspaper La Nacion, the grim finding took place about 300 meters north of the Villas del Sueno hotel in Playa Hermosa, a beach community that is located just northeast of Playas del Coco.

Members of the Fuerza Publica (Costa Rica’s national police) detachment in the Carrillo canton responded to the finding and determined reasonable suspicion of foul play after they noticed blood emanating from the baby’s nose and mouth. Officer Roger Rodriguez explained to La Nacion that the possibility of asphyxiation was considered by the first responders who arrived on scene and thus the medical examiner was immediately notified.

La Nacion further reported that neighbors expressed their concerns about the incident since they know that the baby was often left in the care of his ten-year old sister because the mother has been known to go on alcoholic binges and the father works every night of the week. The grandmother confirmed her daughter’s alcoholism issues, but she insisted that the baby was well-cared for.

As explained by the grandmother, the baby’s mother breastfed him before 9:00 p.m. and left the house after that. The baby’s 15-year old brother cared for him until his father arrived after 1:00 a.m. The grandmother, who apparently lives in the same home, went to check on the baby at around 7:00 a.m. because she had not heard him waking up. The father insists that his baby was healthy and that he last saw him sleeping when he arrived from work.

The body of the baby was transferred to the Office of the Medical Examiner of Costa Rica, which is located in San Joaquin de Flores, province of Heredia.