'Disturbing' discovery as 'mummified' baby found wrapped in laundry at Louisiana dry cleaner

The embalmed remains of an infant from Dallas Texas were discovered at a laundry facility in Louisiana, where employees initially thought the child was a doll

Authorities have launched an investigation after a "mummified" infant was found in a shipment of linens delivered to a dry cleaner in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The discovery was made shortly after 9 pm on Tuesday. Shreveport police responded to calls from employees at Alsco Uniforms on Hollywood Avenue, who reported finding an embalmed infant wrapped in laundry.

Cpl. Chris Bordelon said it was a "very bizarre set of circumstances."

"Officers found what was a small infant, what was described as mummified," he said.

“Our violent crimes team began their investigation and were able to track down the load of linens," he added.

Detectives discovered that the linens came from Golden Gate Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas. According to police, the infant died on May 3 and was scheduled to be cremated following a funeral service on May 17.

Instead, the body ended up in a shipment of soiled linens that was sent to Shreveport. According to the Shreveport Times, the Alsco Uniforms employee initially mistook the child for a doll.

Authorities believe that the infant had been embalmed, due to the strong odor and early signs of decomposition observed at the scene.

“The detective on scene even told me it smelled strongly of formaldehyde, which is something that’s not typical of any of our crime scenes," he said.

The baby was wearing clothing embroidered with the initials “K.M.” when it was found. This is the only identification police have been able to find.

Detectives do not suspect any foul play, but investigators did say that the incident appears to involve negligence.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith, told CBS News, "This is a deeply distressing situation. Our thoughts are with the family of the child as this investigation unfolds."