The body of a baby has been found on the side of a road at the Sunshine Coast after it fell from a vehicle while being transferred to a Queensland morgue.

It is understood road workers found the body as it was being transferred from Rockhampton to Brisbane and notified police.

It was not discovered missing until the vehicle arrived at the morgue.

The Sunshine Coast Daily reported that the body had been mistakenly left on the vehicle’s roof after a driver transfer.

Queensland Health officials notified the family who were reportedly extremely distressed. The road workers were also reported to be traumatised.

Police declined to comment on the incident.