A couple has been taken into custody after a nine-month-old baby girl, who police say belonged to them, was found dead in the water at Surfers Paradise beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast in the early hours of Monday morning.

The couple was homeless and raising their family on the street, AAP reported. A second child has been taken into protective care.

The girl’s 48-year-old father and 23-year-old mother are being questioned in police custody after being found about five kilometres away in Broadbeach. The family has been living in parks and seeking shelter from Tweed Heads to Surfers Paradise.

The girl had not been reported missing before her body was found. Detective Inspector Marc Hogan said the scene was traumatic for everyone involved.

DEATH ‘UNNATURAL’

“This is a very tragic event. It’s a very sad situation,” he said. “It will impact a lot of people.” Insp Hogan said it appeared the girl had been in the water, but there were no obvious wounds or injuries. “Not that I could see,” he said describing it as “not your typical crime scene”.

A passer-by found the child’s body at the edge of the surf and raised the alarm but police say paramedics never stood any chance of reviving her.

The homicide squad is helping local Gold Coast officers after police confirmed they were treating the girl’s death as “unnatural”.

A crime scene was set up on the popular beach after emergency services descended on the beach about 12.30am.

It is understood a person walking along the beach made the heartbreaking discovery, less than a kilometre from where Schoolies were celebrating.

On Monday night, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported police had taken recovered a “healthy” two year old boy from a pair of parents who are now in custody.

Police said they were altered to the parents following an alleged domestic violence incident on Sunday.

Earlier, Insp Hogan described the baby’s death as “a very tragic event”.

“The body was located on the edge of the surf so clearly she had been in the water. I don’t know how long for. We will set out trying to find that out today as best we can,” he said.

Detective Insp Hogan confirmed the couple were known to police and were found at Broadbeach, a suburb around 10 minutes south of Surfers Paradise.

Police are now in the process of “digging into the background” of the couple. The male is 48 and the female is 23.

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Emergency workers were called to the unresponsive baby girl just down from Staghorn Ave early this morning.

They performed CPR but were unable to revive her.

“They were extremely tragic events. I can only imagine what it was like (for first responders). Full credit to them, they stood up and did their service. I am very proud of what they did,” Detective Insp Hogan said.

When asked if first responders had any chance of saving the nine-month old girl, Detective Insp Hogan said no.

The child’s cause of death remains unclear but it’s understood she had no major visible injuries. An autopsy will be carried out.

“I personally couldn’t see any (injuries) of note but that will come out later in the day,” Detective Insp Hogan said.

Police were unable to confirm if any charges will be laid today over the nine-month-old’s death.

Pictures emerging from the scene show police officers and forensic experts examining the body under a gazebo.

7 News reports that the person who made the discovery this morning is not a school leaver.

Mystery surrounds the death of an unidentified baby girl at Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast overnight. Emergency workers were called to an unresponsive infant at Staghorn Avenue, the Esplanade, around 12.30am. @Bianca_Stone #7News pic.twitter.com/g7Jn3Q5hll — 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) November 18, 2018

The Gold Coast is busy with school leavers celebrating schoolies week.

A total of 13,188 teenagers made their way to the first night of the annual end-of-year event and 22,000 graduates are expected to visit the popular holiday spot this week.

Over the weekend, police arrested 15 schoolies on the first two nights of the annual party.

On Sunday, nine teens were arrested on 11 offences which were mainly for public nuisance and drug possession. Six were issued with liquor infringements notices.

In comparison for the same night in 2017 there were 13 schoolies arrested.

There were 14 non-schoolies arrested on 14 charges, mostly relating to public nuisance and drug possession.

“Police continue to remind school leavers that the possession and consumption of dangerous drugs is illegal and could have fatal consequences,” Queensland Police said in a statement.

More to come