A male infant was found dead in a black plastic bag placed on the road in front of a childcare centre in Udon Thani.

The mother was later identified while obtaining medical treatment at a hospital for a bacterial infection.

Police investigating a report about the infant death  said that around 30 villagers had surrounded the body and were cursing the mother of the child when officers arrived.

A medical worker said the mother had given birth at home and that the infant had died from suffocation, according to a report in Thai Rath.

Investigators identified the mother as a 21-year-old woman who lives in the area. Police sent her to the hospital to get a DNA test.

Police said the woman told them that she found out that she was pregnant after she had broken up with her boyfriend of two months. She was afraid to tell her parents so decided to stay with a friend until the child was born.

The woman said the baby died on Thursday night right after birth. She then put the baby into a black plastic bag and disposed of the bag in a nearby forest.

She said she had no idea how the bag had been moved from the forest to the road in front of the childcare centre.

Police said they would wait for further medical tests before taking any legal action against the woman.