TAIYUAN, Oct. 30 -- Police in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday said they had detained a man, identified only by the surname Wang, for allegedly orchestrating the burial of his disabled infant, while she was still alive.

The baby was found alive in a paper box by a shepherd at 7 a.m. on Oct. 18, 30 hours after she was buried by three friends of the father in Fengkou Village, Zhangdian Township in Pinglu County, the police said.

The shepherd said he had seen someone disturbing the earth on Oct. 16, however, he did not investigate the site until two days later.

Wang and one of his associates, identified as Tian, who allegedly buried the baby, were detained on Oct. 27. The other two, surnamed Cao and Zheng, remain under house arrest, according to the police.

Wang said doctors had told them about the baby's possible complications on Sept. 24, while his wife was still pregnant.

The baby was born on Oct. 16 with her right earflap missing.

Worrying that this physical disability was just the tip of the iceberg, Wang told his friends that the baby had died and asked them to bury her without his wife's knowledge.

The investigation continues.