Police tape wraps around Room 4 at the Tollgate Motel, the one-bedroom unit where a baby was found dead on Saturday.
A pair of sandals and an empty black mobile phone case lie seemingly discarded at the front door of the crime scene at the Glen Osmond hotel, where the little girl is believed to have died a month ago and her body kept inside the unit under a blanket.
Room 4, where an interstate couple are believed to have been staying with the baby for about nine months, sits in the middle of a cul-de-sac of 39 identical beige-brick units with green doors, lattice privacy screens and sparse garden beds.
The Advertiser understands the two-storey motel – overlooking the start of the South Eastern Freeway – is mostly home to long-term tenants whose weekly rent starts at $350 for a single person, including utilities.
Ian Probst has been living in his modest hotel room – with a bed, basic kitchenette including a microwave, mini fridge, kettle and sink and separate bathroom – for seven years.
“It has its ups and downs,” says the 73-year-old, who keeps mostly to himself and has “no qualms” with his neighbours.
“Most tenants are gone by the time I know their middle name.”
On Saturday, he was playing golf when police officers made their grim discovery.
“It had all run its course by the time I got back,” says Mr Probst, who had not seen the couple staying in Room 4 or the little baby.
“I hate it when any child is damaged.”
After working as a milkman for 15 years in Newcastle in NSW, Mr Probst says he has witnessed all walks of life and was “disappointed, but not surprised” about the infant’s death.
“It could happen anywhere,” says Mr Probst.
Two doors down from the crime scene lives Jacqui Fricker, who moved into the motel in January.
Despite being so close, the “shocked” 55-year-old says she had not seen or heard the little baby.
“I hadn’t heard crying or anything,” says the mum-of-two and disability pensioner.
“You just don’t know, I suppose, what’s going on with other people … just a couple of doors down. Occasionally you hear people fighting … but not a lot, normally it’s fairly quiet.
“No one comes knocking on my door bothering me.”
Motel residents are believed to have raised the alarm after reporting that they had not seen the little baby, reportedly aged under one, in room 4 for some weeks and were concerned for her welfare.
Ms Fricker says the first she knew about the tragedy unfolding just two doors away was the sudden and loud voice of a man yelling just before 10.30am on Saturday.
“I peered out the window and saw that the police were here,” she says.
“That was the first hint of trouble, I didn’t hear anything prior to that. I didn’t think that would happen (here). There was just a big police presence all of a sudden.”
The motel stands eerily quiet on Monday afternoon, punctuated only by the noise of nearby traffic rushing on to the freeway.
Between 18 and 20 of its 39 rooms are occupied by long-term residents. It is believed that up to six of them have lived at the motel for more than 10 years. Some are pensioners, others are children who have grown up in the one-bedroom units.
It’s understood people experiencing homelessness are supported to live at the motel when there is availability.