THE BURIED GIRL

Evening Star, Issue 20942, 5 November 1931, Page 8

THE BURIED GIRL

TRIAL OF COATS OH MURDER CHARGE THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 4. . Tho trial of George Errol Coats on a charge of murdering Phyllis Avis Symons, was continued this morning. Dr R. Lynch, pathologist at Wellington Hospital, this morning described the position of the body of Phyllis when he was called to the spot where it was found, in company with Dr Hector he made a post morten examination. Tho girl had been pregnant—a normal, uninterrupted pregnancy. Describing the head injuries, witness said that although they were deep-seated there was no fracture of the underlying bone. Dr Lynch said there were no marks of throttling on the neck. He summarised his findings as follows:—Deceased was struck a violent blow on the right temple, also a blow (or a series of blows) on the. back of tho head and neck. The injuries were caused at about the same time; either would have caused unconsciousness, and. either would have caused death. The immediate cause of death was asphyxia, due to the stomach contents being vomited into the windpipe. Ho thought the scarf found around the girl’s head had been placed in that position to lessen tho sound of stertorous breathing or other noise. He was of opinion that the scarf -was deliberately placed, and did not think a conscious person would have permitted it to have been placed there. His findings suggested that the girl had been buried alive. The injuries, in his opinion, could not have been self-in-flicted, nor could they have been caused by falling down tho embankment. If there had been a fall he would have expected to see some abrasions- on the face or knees. Cross-examined, Dr Lynch said, he could not imagine that multiple injury on the back of tho bead could be caused in any other way than by a blow or blows. In his experience, suicide by falling from a height was very uncommon. Witness was questioned at length regarding the possibility of tho injuries being caused by the girl throwing herself over the bank, but. ho was of opinion that, taken in conjunction, the injuries were not consistent with suicide.