CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH

Northern Advocate, 14 November 1929, Page 10

CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH

YOUNG WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY

DARGAVILLE, Tuesday.

A charge of concealing .the birth of her child, made against a young woman aged 21 years, was heard in the Police Court today by Messrs. F. A. Jones and F. .1. Dargaville, justices. The facts of the case, as disclosed by the evidence, were that the girl had given birth to e. male child on or about October 23 last, at her parents’ home. The dead body of the child was found in a draw'or of a combination chest on October 2o by accused’s mother. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the body was that of a fully-developed male child which had been born alive, the cause of death being asphyxia. There wore no signs of violence upon the body.

At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. F. C. Gould, for accused, submitted that it remained for the Bench to decide whether a prima facie case had been established by the police for committal to a jury, or whether it had been established that accused was in such a condition following the birth of the child to know fully what she was doing.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Her name was ordered to be suppressed, and bail was allowed in two sureties of £25 each.