Children Locked In While Mother Drank

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31579, 17 January 1968, Page 26

Children Locked In While Mother Drank

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, January 1 16. “In all my experience, I have never heard of such a callous action by any mother,” Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., told Donna May Campbell, aged 19, in the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court today.

Campbell had pleaded guilty to charges of abandoning her children, Shane Anthony Campbell, aged two years and four months, and Donna Marie Campbell, aged 12 months, on New Year’s Eve. Senior-Sergeant T. D. Har-, ker said the police were called to Campbell’s home at 5.30 p.m. on January 1 and found the two children locked in a bedroom. They were in a dirty and distressed condition and wer* taken to hospital. A search was, begun for the mother, whose husband was in a Borstal institution, but she was not found until'7.36 p.m. the next day, said Mr Harker. She told the police she had left the children, after feeding them at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and gone

to a party at Parakino with a male friend. She said she intended to return but was having such a good time that she put the children out of her mind. She did return to Wanganui several times on “drinking jaunts,” but did not go to her house, Mr Harker Mid. She admitted being asked several times if she wanted to go home, but did not want to. Mr Harker said Campbell had been married for three years. Sh* had stayed with her male companion while away from home. Campbell, who was not represented by counsel told the Court she had nothing to say. “There’s very little you could say,” replied the Magistrate, remanding her in custody until next Tuesday for sentence.