CORONER’S COURT v Mothers caused fatal injuries to children

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32458, 19 November 1970, Page 15

CORONER’S COURT v Mothers caused fatal injuries to children

Three children who died fa Christchurch in May, June and July were found to have died of injuries inflicted by their mothers, when the inquests into their deaths were concluded yesterday by the Christchurch district Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell). The children were Delwyn Molly Turner, aged 14 months, who died at 153 North Avon Road on July 8; Marie Peters, aged two years and a half, who died at 38 Thackeray Street on June 16; and Stephen Thomas Pluck, aged six years, who died at 26 Lambeth Crescent on May 11.

The Coroner found that Delwyn Molly Turner died of bronchiolitis aggravated and accentuated by oedema of the brain caused by injuries inflicted by her mother, Rosemarie Deanne Turner, aged 30 years.

Mrs Turner was convicted in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court on September 7 on a charge of wilfully ill treating the child. She was placed on probation for three years and directed to take psychiatric treatment as recommended by the probation officer. Marie Peters was found to have died of head injuries inflicted by her mother, Alice Evelyn Peters, aged 22 years. Mrs Peters was convicted in the Christchurch Supreme Court on October 15 on a charge of wilfully ill treating the child after being found guilty by a juiy. She was placed on probation for two years and ordered to undergo psychiatric and medical treatment as directed by the probation officer. Stephen Thomas Pluck died of asphyxia caused by a constricting band tied around his neck by his

mother, Alice Shirley Pluck, aged 35. Detective Bruce Alexander Scott said in evidence that as a consequence of an order made under the provisions of the Mental Health Act by Mr Justice Wilson, Mrs Pluck was ordered to be detained in a hospital as a special patient under the act. The order was made before Mrs Pluck’s arraignment in the Supreme Court on a charge of murdering the child. HOSPITAL DEATH Arthur Harris, aged 83, died at Burwood Hospital on October 7, the cause of death being acute heart failure caused by coronary atherosclerosis foUowing an operation. POISONING The Coroner found that Jack Sydney Valentine Bott, aged 63, died at Christchurch Hospital on August 12. The cause of death was bronchopneumonia and barbiturate poisoning. The Coroner said he was unable to determine on the evidence available whether the death was the result of accldentai or intentional poisoning. „ COLLISION DEATH Vera Mary Dolan, aged 63, a married woman, was found to have died at Christchurch HosSital on June 23. The cause of eath was a fracture of the cervical spine suffered when a car in which she was a passenger driven by Mrs Myra Jane Smith collided with a car driven by Mervyn lan Moore the previous day. Mervyn lan Moore, aged 30, a salesman, said he was driving north on Barbadoes Street about 3 p.m. on June 22 when he was involved in a collision with another car at the intersection of Edgeware Road. The car entered the intersection from his left. Constable Lawrence Patrick Odell said the car In which Mrs Dolan had been travelling was driven by her sister, Mrs Myra Jane Smith. Mrs Smith had failed to comply with the compulsory Stop sign at the intersection. ASPHYXIA Nancy May Sinclair, aged 42, died at Sunnyside Hospital on October 13. The cause of death was asphyxia caused by the inhalation of bread. STRUCK BY CAR Thomas Henaere Murray, aged 24, died of severe head Injuries on September 24 suffered when he was struck on Riccarton Road the same day by a car driven by Wayne John Mason, aged 17, SUICIDE VERDICTS Phyllis Rhona Waldron, aged 50, a married woman, was found to have died at 143 Marshland Road, Christchurch, on September 24, having committed suicide. The cause of death was asphyxia caused Dy occlusion of the external airways by a plastic bag. Joan Melville Chisholm, aged 49, a married woman died at 121 Emmett Street on September 21 having committed suicide. The cause of death was asphyxia caused by hanging.