An autopsy has been carried out on a newborn girl whose body was found dumped in the back yard of a Hutt Valley property, but police aren't yet revealing how she died.
The baby girl, who appeared to be no more than 24 hours old, was found on Monday by a woman who had gone outside a suburban Taita home to hang the washing.
Police found the mother of the baby girl following a canvass of the area on Tuesday.
Inspector Shane Cotter says an autopsy was carried out on Wednesday but police will not reveal the findings while investigations continue.
"It will take some time to establish the exact circumstances of this baby girl's birth," he said.
It is too early to say whether any charges will be laid and police will not be commenting further on the incident, Insp Cotter says.
The girl's mother, who is in her early 20s, remains in hospital where she is being treated for complications as a result of the birth.
Police had been concerned about the mother's wellbeing, because they had not been able to locate the placenta and the baby still had part of her umbilical cord attached.
News home