The homeless father of a baby girl found dead on a Gold Coast beach told police he believed the baby was "possessed by demons", 7 News reports.
The young girl's lifeless and naked body was found at Surfers Paradise on Monday at around 1:30am, and was unable to be revived by emergency services.
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According to news.co.au, Queensland police believe the nine-month-old's parents may have "sacrificed" the child across the NSW border.
The 48-year-old father and 23-year-old mother are being questioned by authorities, who say the pair are known to them.
"This is a very tragic event. It's a very sad situation," said Detective Inspector Marc Hogan. "It will impact a lot of people."
At least two locals have told media they contacted police about the family's living situation before the tragedy occurred - but nothing was done.
"Clearly, I wasn't taken seriously," local resident Erin Sorensen wrote on Facebook.
"It was winter and the dunes were freezing every time the sun went down. I didn't think that was good for a baby or toddler."
A friend of the parents', Kirsty Davis, says the couple would leave the baby in the care of strangers.
"He put the baby in my arms and started walking away," she told the Daily Mail.
"I said, 'Are you coming back for the baby?' and he just looked at me, gave me a blank look and just kept walking on."
A two-year-old boy, believed to be the sibling of the dead child, has been recovered by police and is now in state care.
Newshub.
