Police made the grim discovery at a cemetery in Cumuto on the island of Trinidad. Initial probes suggest it was a case of "unlawful disposal of unclaimed corpses."

Police in Trinidad and Tobago discovered the remains of at least 50 babies and six adults at a cemetery on Saturday.

The corpses appeared to have been discarded at the graveyard in Cumuto, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the capital, Port of Spain, on the island of Trinidad.

What Have Police Said about the Discovery of the Bodies in Trinidad?

In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said it "may be a case involving the unlawful disposal of unclaimed corpses."

The TTPS said there were four male and two female adult bodies. Five of the adult corpses had toe tags such as the ones put on bodies in morgues.

Two of those bodies — one male and one female — had signs that autopsies had been carried out on them.

Police did not say if any of the bodies had been identified.

"This is an active and developing investigation, and further forensic analysis is underway to determine the origin of the remains and any associated breaches of law or procedure," police said.

Allister Guevarro said the gruesome find was "deeply troubling."

"Every cadaver must be handled with dignity and lawful care," Guevvaro said. "Any individual or institution found to have violated that duty will be held fully accountable."

He said police were treating the case "with urgency, sensitivity and unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth."

Trinidad and Tobago Struggles with Surge of Violent Crime

The English-speaking Caribbean nation, which is made up of two islands that lie about 10 kilometers (six miles) off the coast of Venezuela, has struggled with gang violence in recent years.

Last month, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's government extended a state of emergency that was first imposed in December 2024.

The country, which is home to 1.5 million people, registered 623 murders in 2024.

The US State Department said the country was the sixth most dangerous in the world in 2023, with a murder rate of 37 per 100,000.