An inquiry was under way in Northern Ireland tonight after the horrific revelation that a foetus was found in a hospital workers' van.
The North's health minister, Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun, called for a detailed report into what she branded a "completely unacceptable" incident.
The Ulster Hospital on the outskirts of Belfast at Dundonald suspended the mortuary technician involved and launched the inquiry as investigating police awaited the results of DNA tests being carried out in an attempt to establish the identity of the foetus, which was about 15 weeks old.
A police spokesman said the RUC in Dunmurry - on the other side of Belfast from the hospital had discovered the foetus following a report from a member of the public.
The minister said she had been "greatly disturbed" to hear of the discovery of the remains of the foetus.
She added: "It is completely unacceptable that a foetus should be treated other than with the greatest dignity and respect. The recent incident falls far short of that standard and clearly demands urgent answers.
Ms de Brun said she had called for a full report into the circumstances and said it should cover the facts behind the incident itself, and explain "how the apparent loss of a foetus for a period was not picked up by hospital administrative systems".
She said she also expected the report to detail what steps had been put in place to ensure such an incident could not recur.
The Ulster Community Hospital Trust said that it was "deeply concerned" that such a situation had arisen.
PA