Police have arrested and charged a woman of Yasawa with infanticide for allegedly burying her newborn baby alive.

Divisional Crime Officer Western, ASP Vijay Singh has confirmed that the single mother has been charged and bailed to appear in the Lautoka Magistrates court later.

It is alleged that the woman gave birth to a fully grown baby and allegedly buried it near her house.

The incident was reported to police after neighbors discovered foul smell coming from beside her house. A doctor from Yasawa conducted the search with the help of the villagers and discovered the baby some days later.

The body was partly decomposed by then.