DEATH OF A CHILD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14979, 27 April 1909, Page 10

DEATH OF A CHILD.

INQUEST AT EANGIORA. The adjourned inquest touching the death of the infant child of Jane Burnett was resumed at Rnngiora yesterday, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., Coroner, and a jury. Mr Van Asch watched proceedings on behalf of the mother of the child. Margaret Mary Beck, wife of Thomas Beck, stated that Jane Burnett stopped with her about two months. She was with witness on Saturday, April 10, and they occupied witness’s bedroom, that night. Jane Burnett left the room during the night, and told witness she was not well. Between twelve and -one 1 ’ o’clock in the morning she was outside and witness called her. She said she would be in within a few minutes. Witness heard her come in a short time afterwards and go to her own room. She said she did not feel any better. Witness gave corroborative evidence as to the young woman being about on Sunday and Monday, doing washing on the latter day and afterwards going out into the town; and also with refer-, ence to the finding of the body of the child under her bed. Witness,, saw nothing to arouse her suspicions as to the condition of Jane. Burnett until the night of April 10, and did not seriously suspect anything until Monday. , Jane Burnett, the mother of the child, stated that she would be twenty years of age next month. She left her home at Wanganui before last Christmas and went to Invercargill. She came to Rangiora about two months ago, and had stayed with Mrs Beck about six weeks. In the middle of the night of Saturday, April 10, she got up, not feeling well, and went outside and gave birth to a child in the yard. It wan moonlight and early in the morning. Hie child did not cry or move. She took it into her room and put a blanket round it. This was a few minutes after it was born. When she took it into the room she thought it was dead. She noticed the cord was round its neck. She kept tho body of the child on the bed until midday on Sunday, and then put it under tho bed. To Mr Van Asch: She expected to bo confined in the beginning of May, and intended to go to Wellington in Easter, week, but thought the boats would he too. crowded. When she felt unwell on April 10 she did not think she was going fo give birth to a child. The cord was round the neck of the child when she gave birth to it. If the child had been alive she would have- taken it into bed. Mrs Beck was the only person in tho house' at the time. She had provided clothes for tho child. Witness did not like to tell her what had occurred, as she was expecting to be confined at any time. Sho had no intention of burying or otherwise disposing of the body without letting anyone know. To the Coroner: She was present on the Monday night when they saw the body of the child. Edward Mackay, sergeant of police, stated that when ho went to the house Jane Burnett directed him to the room where tho body of the child was; and where he found it wrapped in some nndorclotlies. She said, “ What will they do to me? Make it as light as ! possible. I know I have done wrong.” j Sho asked to have her uncle called in. ! When ho came sho said, “Oh, uncle, j see what I have done.” Sho made tho I aflm.ission voluntarily. On searching he found what he took to bo a quantity of baby’s clothes. this was all the evidence. The coroner eaid the cause of death was clear, but it was for the jury to say whether there was blame attachable to anyone. The jury returned a verdict—“ That the infant child of Jane Burnett came by its death by strangulation with the umbilical ooi’d at the time of its birth, and that there was no culpable neglect on tho part of the mother.” The coroner remarked that he quite concurred with the verdict.