A Reformed, Evangelical, Presbyterian church, The Free Church of Scotland has been active since 1842, and active on Prince Edward Island essentially as long. The Birch Hill congregation is one of six extant on the Island. While the present church was built in 1880, there are headstones in the cemetery which date to the early 1840s, suggesting that an earlier church once occupied the site.
, wrapped in a blanket, was found outside the church. To our knowledge its identity has not been ascertained. One of several CBC News articles on the incident can be read below.
Dead newborn found outside church
in Mount Albion
Custodian found infant in blanket on snow, says overseer of Birch Hill Free Church of Scotland
A dead newborn has been found outside a church
in Mount Albion, just east of Charlottetown.
RCMP responded to a call at 2:30 p.m. AT Sunday. The body was wrapped in a blanket and placed on the snow by the graveyard next to the Birch Hill Free Church of Scotland.
The custodian of the church found the body, said Rev. Kent Compton, who is overseeing the church because it currently doesn't have its own pastor.
The custodian was going to the church to turn on the heat for the service planned for later that evening.
The service was cancelled.
RCMP expressed concern the mother may require medical assistance, and has encouraged anyone who may have information to reach out to authorities.
"It's a newborn so it's not something you forget. I'm sure someone needs, could need some medical help or any kind of help so we're trying to find out to reach out to people and see if they can provide any information," said RCMP Cpl. Martin Roy.
"We're talking about an infant. A very young baby so we don't know. We're trying to find any information. Obviously someone knows something."
An autopsy is being conducted in Halifax on Monday. Roy said he hopes the autopsy will provide investigators with some clues.
The RCMP major crime unit has taken the lead on the investigation.
From CBC News