Neighbors look for answers after baby's body found in Kansas City woods

In what has been a challenging case on many levels, police are trying to determine how a baby's body ended up in heavy brush in east Kansas City.  

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In what has been a challenging case on many levels, police are trying to determine how the body of a baby ended up in the heavy brush in east Kansas City.  

A neighbor walking in the woods stumbled upon the body, and police say they'll need help from the public to answer the key questions of how and why this happened.

"There's a whole bunch of homeless camps back there,” said Lori Jaster, who lives nearby.

Neighbors find the discovery chilling, but they weren't necessarily surprised.

Jaster, who lives adjacent to the area, said not only are there multiple homeless camps tucked back there, but the foot traffic is constant.

"The unsheltered homeless are generally in bad health. They struggle to access mental health care and physical care. We do know that women that are out on the street are very vulnerable,” said Terry Megli, CEO of City Union Mission.

The CEO of the City Union Mission told FOX4 it's not only that they are vulnerable but may not know another way out. It's not an excuse -- but maybe a way to explain the discovery.

"It's a challenge knowing that this mother may have been crying out help, and there wasn't an opportunity to listen to her, to hear her, and so we're deeply moved by this loss," Megil said.

If you have any information that can help police identify who this baby is and get the answers they need, you can call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.