MOTHER AND BROTHER OF DEAD GIRL TELL OF BACKYARD BURIAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22820, 15 December 1948, Page 10

MOTHER AND BROTHER OF DEAD GIRL TELL OF BACKYARD BURIAL

SYDNEY, Nov. 21

Mother and brother of a 16-year-old girl who died at Harden two months ago buried her in a shallow grave The body of the girl. Duress Holmes, was exhumed by police at dawn yesterday. It was buried in the backyard garden. The girl’s mother walked into Harden police station on Friday with her son, Carberry Harold Holmes, 19, and told of the burial.

Police have learned that the girl died on September 11 and was buried in a grave 2ft. 3in deep. The grave was sft long and levelled off. There was no cross or other marking.

The Holmes residence is a crude shed built of rusty pieces of corrugated iron, broken fibro and railway sleepers. The seven-acre property is 400 yards from Cunningah, three miles from Harden. Mrs. Holmes’ husband died five years ago at Cowt-a. The dead girl was one of seven children.

The family lives on vegetables grown in the back paddock and an occasional piece of meat bought in Harden with money obtained by selling vegetables. Police say the girl was a semi-invalid and was sometimes not seen by neighbors for months.

A post-morten examination was made yesterday by the Government Medical Officer at Harden. Dr. Eggerton, and organs were sent to Sydney for analysis. The girl’s body will be reburied in Murrumburrah general cemetery.

Police are satisfied that the girl died from natural causes.