A man has spoken of his horror at finding a dead baby inside his mother's freezer while he was cleaning it out following her death.

Adam Smith, from St Louis, Missouri, told TV news channel KSDK that he was "blown away" following the discovery.

He revealed he had moved in with his mother Barbara, 68, to help her after she got sick - and started going through her belongings after she died on 21 July from lung cancer.

Image: Adam Smith moved in with his mum when she became ill with lung cancer

Mr Smith said she had kept a box in her freezer for decades and that she would always take it with her when she moved to a new home.

He said he never thought to look inside the box, saying: "I'm 37 and it has been in my freezer for 37 years.


"I was always told it was a wedding cake top".

He added that the baby was wrapped in a pink fleece: "It still had skin, hair and everything.

"It was mummified.

"After that I just freaked out, I put it back into the box and I called the police right away".

Mr Smith said his mother had previously mentioned a sibling that had died before he was born.

Image: The baby was said to have been wrapped in a pink fleece. Pic: KSDK News

"We're saying, what 46 or 47 - that's how long - I'm assuming it's my sister - has been in a box in a freezer for this long."

"Finding this, I'm more like confused, angry - and I just want to find closure, I want to know more answers".

Image: Adam Smith says the baby could have been in his mum's freezer for up to 47 years. Pic: KSDK News

Mr Smith says he has provided police with a DNA sample.

The St Louis Metropolitan Police Department has told Sky News that officers were called to an address on 28 July following reports a "deceased infant" was found inside.

Image: Adam Smith, from St Louis, says he presumes the baby was his sister. Pic: KSDK News

A spokesperson said: "The Child Abuse Unit and Homicide responded.

"The investigation is ongoing and is being investigated as a 'Suspicious Death' pending an autopsy."