Adolofo Ridrigues, a cleaner at the cemetery, discovered the charred body wrapped in plastic and placed in front of the cemetery’s large cross at 8.00 am on Wednesday.

He said he immediately contacted the police.

“This baby did not fall out of the sky,” Deputy commander of the National Police in Dili, Euclides Belo said to media on Wednesday afternoon.

Anyone aware of a baby who has disappeared is urged to contact police.

Belo said investigators also wanted to talk to anyone who saw suspicious or unusual behaviour at the Santa Cruz cemetery this week.

Belo said officers were working with members of the Santa Cruz community and that a police investigation will continue until the person who abandoned the baby was found.