A vicar and his daughter have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of her baby boy was found at their village vicarage.
Reverend Jim Percival, his wife Susan and their 28-year-old daughter, Ruth, were held at their £400,000 home in the village of Freckleton, Lancashire.
The arrests followed the discovery of the baby’s body at the vicarage last week.
Police were called following reports that Miss Percival had given birth to a stillborn baby.
She allegedly told officers that the baby had shown no signs of life at birth, and she was taken to hospital for medical checks.
Miss Percival was later discharged, but an investigation into the death was ordered and a post-mortem examination on the baby’s body.
After numerous inquiries failed to establish how the baby boy died, senior officers declared his death to be suspicious.
The vicar and his daughter were arrested at the vicarage on suspicion of murder, sex offences and conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child.
The vicar’s wife, Mrs Percival, was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child.
Police said: “A 64-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman from Freckleton have been arrested on Tuesday, December 2 on suspicion of murder, conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child, and sexual offences.
“A 65-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child.
“They are all currently still in custody and the police investigation continues.”