A baby girl who was cut from her mother's womb has been found alive, police said today.

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The girl, whose mother's body was found on Monday in a cupboard at her Worcester, Massachusetts, apartment, appeared to be in "fairly good health" at a New Hampshire hospital, Worcester Police Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst said.

Two people have been arrested over the mother's death.

Julie Corey, 35, and a male companion were detained in Plymouth, New Hampshire, where police found them with the child. Friends had told police they were suspicious of Corey's claims she had given birth.

Corey was charged as a fugitive from justice.

The body of the baby's mother, Darlene Haynes, who was eight months pregnant, was found by her landlord, William Thompson.

He said a "horrifying smell" led him to her apartment, where he found her body wrapped in bedding in a cupboard.

Her death was ruled a homicide.

Police said the 23-year-old had apparently been dead for several days, and that she hadn't contacted family or friends since Thursday. It was not until a post-mortem examination on Tuesday that authorities discovered the foetus was missing.

Corey, who police said had reportedly gone to New Hampshire to relocate, arrived at a Plymouth homeless shelter on Tuesday night. She told workers there that the girl was six days old and identified herself as the mother, but had no information on the child, according to the Union Leader newspaper in New Hampshire.

Corey was arrested last night as she tried to leave the shelter with the baby after workers alerted police and a nurse began photographing the baby with her mobile phone, the newspaper reported.

The exact cause of Miss Haynes' death has not yet been determined pending toxicology tests, but Worcester Police Detective Captain Edward J. McGinn Jr. said the post-mortem indicated she suffered head injuries.