Baby girl killed on busy road, Coroner’s Court told

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 51

Baby girl killed on busy road, Coroner’s Court told

PA Auckland A baby girl, aged 13 months, was killed when she and her mother were caught in the middle of a busy road by oncoming traffic, the Otahuhu Coroner’s Court was told. Susanah Leaf, of Wiri, died instantly when the stroller her mother was pushing was hit by a motor-cycle in Wiri Station Road on September 12. The Coroner, Mr Stephen Osborne, ruled

that the girl died of a broken neck as the result. There were no suspicious circumstances.

But the ruling haS disappointed Susanah’s parents. Her mother rushed from the Court and the girl’s father asked why all - witnesses’ statements were not read. The Coroner advised him to see a lawyer if he wanted to lay a complaint or make a statement. But the upset father replied: “I can’t afford a lawyer. We couldn’t even afford to bury her." .

Earlier the Court heard in the police summary that the girl and her mother, with two other pedestrians, were seen crossing the road outside a fun park. They reached a central grass strip safely as traffic banked up from lights at a nearby intersection. The two pedestrians ran to the other side but Susanah and her mother were stranded on a white line marking one of the lanes.

Constable Buddy Netana said the

was seen several times pushing the stroller forward as if to cross. She was seen to move forward and a motor-cyclist braked to avoid her, but his machine went into a slide and hit the pram. The police have not laid any charges. Constable Netana said there was a traffic light with a pedestrian crossing about 100 m from where the accident occurred. ' The Coroner said the facts of the tragic acci-

dent spoke for themselves. .