CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A University of Illinois student is under investigation after she gave birth to a boy at school Sunday and the deceased baby was later recovered from her backpack by university police.

The University of Illinois Police Department sent officers to Bousfield Hall on the Urbana-Champaign campus around 5 p.m. Sunday to check in on a student who had spent several hours in the bathroom, according to a statement cited by The Daily Illini, the university’s student newspaper.

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The female student told police she had a stomach flu and did not need their help, so the officers left. At about 7:30 p.m., someone contacted university police and they returned to the dorm and “found evidence suggesting a child may have been born,” though university police spokesman Pat Wade wouldn’t discuss police found.

Officers eventually located the student shortly after 8 p.m. and escorted her to a public safety building, where she allegedly confessed to giving birth earlier Sunday. The mother, who was not named in media reports, also handed over her backpack with her deceased son inside.

“Immediately, the child, which unfortunately turned out to be deceased, and the mother … we took them both to the hospital to make sure they got the medical attention they needed,” Wade told WAND.

“I don’t think anyone could ever imagine something like this happening on campus,” Wade told the Daily Illini. “The police officers see a lot of bad stuff, and this is right up there with the worst of it.”

The Champaign County Coroner’s Office officially pronounced the baby dead at 9:08 p.m. Sunday. Coroners performed an autopsy Tuesday afternoon, the results of which will be examined by the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office, along with toxicology tests and other studies, to determine if the U of I student will face criminal charges, WAND reports.

University police are continuing to investigate the incident and are asking students to contact them with relevant information.

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The surprisingly muted response to the incident online was one mostly of shock.

“Whoa,” U of I student Jasmine Colon posted to Facebook.

“That’s heartbreaking,” Autumn Marie Soliman wrote. “I hope the mother gets the emotional help she needs.”

“God have mercy,” Em Bailey posted.