Cops 'flushed foetus down toilet'

Police in Arizona say five officers have been placed on paid leave after one allegedly flushed a foetus down a toilet.

Police Chief George Gascon said four officers responding to a call about a possible miscarriage at a motel discovered a woman who apparently lost a foetus, estimated to be 12 to 14 weeks old, according to the East Valley Tribune/Scottsdale Tribune.

Gascon said an officer who wasn't at the motel instructed the four over the phone to flush the 10cm foetus down the toilet rather than take it to a hospital.

A supervisor reading incident reports came across details about the foetus' disposal and shared them with a superior.

Gascon said all five officers were placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation

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