Authorities say they have recovered a human fetus at a Mississippi industrial wastewater treatment plant.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said the Adams County Sheriff’s Office called him to respond to what appeared to be a human fetus inside a drainage system at the Natchez industrial wastewater treatment plant on Tuesday morning.

“Upon my arrival, I noticed a fetus that appeared to be (16 weeks) gestational age laying in sewage,” Lee said.

Lee said he recovered the remains and contacted the Mississippi Crime Lab for autopsy and DNA samples, but they refused the case.

“The Adams County Sheriff was given the authorization to send the fetus to another lab for DNA and disposal,” Lee said. “My heart is broken. I pray for the people who disposed of this child the way they did.”