KINGSTON, Jamaica – Shock and disbelief gripped residents of downtown Kingston on Monday following the discovery of the remains of a newborn boy on Temple Lane in the district.

The body was discovered after dogs bit open a bag. The police were subsequently alerted and, upon their arrival, found the dead baby wrapped in a newspaper inside the bag.

Police suspect that the body was dumped at the location on Sunday, which was celebrated as Mother’s Day.

As the scene was being processed, onlookers expressed shock at the discovery, some of them visibly disturbed.

“Jesus!” one woman yelled. “Have mercy, God have mercy!”

Dorothy, a vendor who plies her trade near where the body was discovered, said she thought it was “a joke” when informed by a taxi driver that there was a dead baby in a bag.

“God know mi think ah joke him ah mek, mi never believe him,” said Dorothy, who also theorised that the baby was dumped overnight.

“Mi come here after 5 (in the morning) and mi si (the bag)… Is in the night (the person) put it there,” she added.

In the meantime, social media was flooded with reactions to the news.

“Look how much people woulda want that baby dear God,” entertainer Cecile said.

State Minister Juliet Cuthbert Flynn reacted with a crying emoji, while another person added: “This just hurt my heart.”

Investigators were still trying to determine the cause of death of the baby up to publication time.