PAINTSVILLE, Ky. — Officials are investigating after the remains of an unborn baby were found in the Paintsville sewer plant.

Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby tells Mountain Top News the remains were found Thursday morning in the plant’s filtration system by a worker. The remains have since been sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort.

Frisby said it is unknown how far along the fetus had developed, but it was obviously pre-term. He said the fetus would not have been able to survive on its own.

He also said DNA will be collected from the remains to see if there is a database match, but he added there is no timeframe for when that process would be complete.