Baby found on South Maroubra Beach, 'Lily Grace', given funeral; police to review footage from service.

An unidentified baby girl whose body was found at a Sydney beach last year has been laid to rest at a special funeral.

The remains of the newborn were found by two children digging in the sand dunes at South Maroubra Beach in the city’s east last November.

Related content: Baby found on a beach in Maroubra by two little boys.

Police have been unable to track down the baby’s mother, but local woman Filomena D’Alessandro “unofficially adopted” the baby with her husband Bill Green in order to give her a proper funeral and burial.

The baby, named Lily Grace by Ms D’Alessandro, was buried at a new site dedicated to children whose identity is unknown.

More than 100 people attended the service at the South Chapel at the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, at Matraville, for the ceremony.

“Her entry to the world was so terrible. If she can have a graceful exit, then we’ll make that happen,” Ms D’Alessandro said before the event.

“It was a legal requirement [to name her],” Ms D’Alessandro said.

“So we chose Lily for being a water flower – a pretty, simple water flower. And she was found on the beach so it was fitting. And we chose Grace because hopefully she’ll have a graceful exit.

“It had to be done, [I’ve] been a mum, couldn’t overlook it and I think everyone felt the same. As a community we had to step forward and take responsibility for this little baby.

“She had such a miserable, short entry to the world – we don’t know exactly what happened – and we just thought she was going to end up with a pauper’s funeral and that was just not right for a small child.”

“The section that Lily Grace will be in will be a brand new section just for unknown babies and Lily Grace will be the first baby there.”

Related content: Finally, some answers about the baby found on a beach.

Ms D’Alessandro said there was hope the baby’s mother would attend the funeral.

“If she did, that would be fantastic.

“I don’t know how she’s going to feel about that, but she’s more than welcome to come.”

Many wept as the tiny white coffin was brought into the chapel. A special display was set up at the front with the name “Lily” spelt in pink candles.

Speakers included NSW Police Chaplain Father Paul O’Donohue, Police Superintendent Gavin Dengate, and the CEO of Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, Graham Boyd.

Mr Boyd said April 29 would be known in future as “Lily Grace Day”, in memory of all unknown or unidentified babies who are buried or cremated without known family.

A group of police officers also attended the funeral.

Police review footage as they try to identify the baby’s mother

Police said they would review footage from the service as they continue to try to identify the baby’s mother.

Police Superintendent Gavin Dengate, who has led the investigation, said detectives would examine vision from the funeral to see if someone who attended might be the mother.

“In some areas we’ve come to a dead end. We’re still hoping through areas of the examination that we may be able to find out some things,” he said.

“It’s very slow and painful in that aspect. But we really do need some assistance from the community on this one.

“It’s a really sad day.

“There’s a big hole in the funeral service without mother or father here. So it was nice to be part of a combined police, community and anyone else that was really part of this.”

NSW coroner Hugh Dillon gave formal permission for Ms D’Alessandro and Mr Green to organise the funeral, and was among those present.

“It showed respect for her, for the community,” he said.

“It showed the community how important every one of us is, and I think that’s a really important, graceful thing to do.”

Coroner Dillon said a coronial inquest would almost certainly have to be held, whether or not the girl’s mother or father were identified.

“If she happens to see this or see any news of the ceremony we’d obviously really like her to come forward, either of them to come forward,” he said.

“It’s really important that Lily Grace be identified. We don’t know the circumstances of her death and we need to find that out too.”

One woman – Janet White from La Perouse – summed up the sentiment of many when asked why she had chosen to attend.

“I’m a mother,” she said.

“And I think most mothers that heard the story initially would have been touched, their hearts would have gone out to that little baby. Mine did.”

This post originally appeared on ABC Online.