Headless ‘baby’ body found washed up on Spanish beach

Roda de Berà mayor Pere Virgili said the youngster could have been on a migrant boat which capsized

The body is thought to have washed up from the ocean (Solar Pix)

A headless child's body has been found on a Spanish beach.

The youngster is believed to be only between two and three years of age and the remains were discovered at a beach in the Costa Dorada resort of Roda de Berà, Tarragona.

Police were alerted this morning after the body was found by a council cleaner at around 11.30am local time.

As well as its head, the body of the child reportedly has other parts missing too and is thought to have washed onto the beach from the water.

The area has been cordoned off while Civil Guard officers investigate.

According to the local press, Roda de Berà mayor Pere Virgili said the youngster could have been on a migrant boat which capsized in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to El Pais, Mr Virgili said: "An operator has seen what he thought was a two or three-year-old child.

"He is not wearing the proper clothing for being on the beach. He was wearing a bodysuit, a kind of tracksuit and a jacket."

A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: "All we can confirm at the moment is that the body of a baby has been found at Roda de Berà beach in the province of Tarragona.

"The alarm was raised at 8.50am this morning. The matter is still under investigation."

The body is in such a state of decomposition that it was first mistaken for a doll and so was not reported to the police initially.

An autopsy is expected to take place in the coming hours to find the cause of death.

A court spokesman said: “A court of instruction, Court of Instruction number 7 in El Vendrell which is acting as a duty court, has today authorised the removal of a body found on a beach in Roda de Bera.

“The judge has opened the corresponding inquiry and is awaiting receipt of the corresponding forensic and police reports.

“We do not have any extra information we can make public at this moment in time.”