Barber describes southside scene of dead baby discovery

The scene of the Dec. 7 discovery of a dead infant, on the southwest corner of Ellerslie Road and Parsons Road SW, seen on Dec. 10, 2024. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

WARNING: Graphic details in story

A man who was near the south Edmonton scene where a baby was found dead on Saturday says the "shock" of the discovery lingers days later.

John Sontos, owner of Gz2Gentz Barbershop, described a client coming into the store at about 2 p.m. saying a baby was in the parking lot.

People went outside to look, he said, and made a grisly discovery: a dead newborn, with its umbilical cord still attached, on a cardboard box.

"I was still cutting (hair) the whole day. I was quiet. Usually, I talk to my clients, give them service, entertain them a little bit, but my hands were shaking," Sontos told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday.

"I was nervous. My blood pressure was going up ... (others) were trying to show me photos. I'm like, 'I don't want to see this,' but they were describing it to me, baby on the snow, there's some blood, the umbilical cord still there."

Police continue to investigate the death of the infant, which was found in the parking lot of a shopping complex at the southwest corner of Parsons Road and Ellerslie Road SW.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

Police do not believe the death is connected to any businesses in the area.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the death or anyone with dash-cam footage from the area from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday to contact them at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.