Medical Examiner: Deceased Babies Were "Medical Specimens"

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed to Fox 29's Jennifer Joyce that the two deceased newborns found next to a North Philadelphia used car lot Sunday were "medical specimens- used for academic purposes used in a hospital or academic institution."

More than 24 hours after police were called in to investigate, a memorial continues to grow. The community says the mere concept of bodies dumped like trash down a city alleyway is horrifying.

According to police, it's unclear when the specimens were placed there or by whom and why. The city's special victims unit is working to answer those questions.

"They're gonna have a lot more work to do in determining when this occurred and who possibly did that if it is in fact true and looking at really how those bodies get to that location," said Philadelphia Police Lt. John Stanford.

There are several surveillance cameras in the area where the babies were dumped investigators are going through the footage to try to get a sense of who disposed of these human remains and why.