Woman Sent For Trial On Manslaughter Charge

Press, Volume C, Issue 29695, 13 December 1961, Page 18

Woman Sent For Trial On Manslaughter Charge

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 12. The defendant had said she might have broken her baby daughter’s ribs when trying to bring up her wind, a witness told the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, today. At the conclusion of the two-day Lower Hutt hearing Mr R. D. Jamieson, S.M., committed Mauretania Patricia Rene Crompton, aged 21, a housewife, to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of wilfully ill-treating her daughter, Elsie Elaine Crompton, aged one month, so as to cause death, thereby committing manslaughter. Crompton pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr N. R. Taylor, assisted by Mr B. R. Harvey. Mr J. D. Murray appeared for the prosecution. In evidence Lois Clare Giles, a child welfare officer, said she had visited the accused and Mr Crompton after the baby. Elsie, was admitted to hospital. She had asked them for an explanation of the baby’s head injuries Accused had said she would tell the truth. She said that she had awakened one morning with the baby’s crying. She was tired and irritable from disturbed nights and had taken the baby from the cot and had thrown her roughly on her bed. The accused did not think she had hurt the baby but had said it was possible the baby’s head could have knocked against the bed end A lump appeared on the head a few days later and the doctor was called. The baby went to hospital. Accused’s husband had said the injury was the result of carelessness and said his wife reacted badly to lack of sleep and he would attend to night feedings himself. Witness had warned the Cromptons that repetition of

this treatment would lead to police investigation. Witness said she again visited the accused on November 6 and said X-rays had revealed that the baby’s ribs were fractured. Accused had said the fractures might have been caused when she pressed the baby’s tummy to bring up wind, the way she had been taught in Karitane. Crompton was allowed bail at £2OO with a surety for the same amount and was ordered to report twice weekly to the police.