A DISTRESSING CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 288, 4 December 1911, Page 5

A DISTRESSING CASE.

CHILD DIES FROM BCRXS. An inquiry was held at the hospital this morning by Mr- Thomas Gresham before a jury of six, to ascertain the circumstances connected with the death ot a child najaed Elizabeth McXamara. Sergeant Waterman represented the police. Mrs. Emily McXamara deposed that on Thursday afteroon last her three children, aged 3, 5. and t>. were playing in front of her residence in Grafton-road. Witness went inside, to put the baby to sleep, and almost immediately afterwards the three children came running up the steps screaming. The deceased was all in flames. Witness extinguished the flames, and a neighbour got the services of Dr. Aubin as quickly as possible. That was about an hour afterwards. Meanwhile she applied oil to the burns. The children told her they had taken out a box of wooden matches to play with. Witness did not leave the matches about, but kept them in a drawer in the diningroom- The children must have taken the box out of the drawer. The children said that Bessie (the deceased) was striking the matches. The boy aged six told her he tried to put the fire out. and then told Ixssie to run to her mother. The deceased was dressed in a print frock at the time. Witness rolled deceased in her skirt to put out the flames, burning her hands in the process. The Coroner said it was quite clear that everything possible had been done. The jury he felt sure would concur with him in 'tendering their sympathy to the j parents.

Dr. Magnire deposed that when the child was admitted to the I'ospital she was suffering from slight si ?k, and had burns on the front of the lower limbs as far down as her knees, and the upper limbs as fcr as the. elbows. There were also extensive burns on the abdomen.

Dr. Auhin deposed that everything that could be done for the child prior to hi- arrival had hpcn done-

A verdict was returned of death a* the result of accidental burns.