Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

Barcelona police are trying to find the body of a newborn baby boy that was reportedly thrown into a river by his 16-year-old father who is now under arrest.

The Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan police) in the north-eastern Spanish city of Barcelona began their search yesterday with the help of divers, sniffer dogs and a helicopter.

Local media said that the teenage father went to the police station with his dad to confess what he had done.

A Mossos d’Esquadra spokesperson told Central European News (CEN) that the public prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident, but they are unable to offer any information on the baby’s parents as they are both minors themselves.

The search began when a resident saw a young man with a suitcase in the Besos River with what appeared to be a baby, according to the local police.

Reports said that barriers have been placed in the water to reduce the flow so that search teams with sniffer dogs can inspect the river and its banks.

The local authorities have confirmed that they found a suitcase containing clothes and blood spots at the spot where the teenage said he threw the baby.

Firefighters have reportedly joined the search and a helicopter is being used to scour the area from above while also offering light for teams on the ground during dark hours.

The search operation and investigation are both ongoing.

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