TWO BOYS DROWNED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 5 September 1934, Page 6

TWO BOYS DROWNED

GASSED IN BATH MOTHER’S TRAGIC DISCOVERY SYDNEY, 27th August. Geoffrey Edward Warman, 13 and liis brother, Dudley. Morris Warman, 9, wet© drowned in their bath, in about nine inches of water, at their home in Church-street, Parramatta, yesterday afternoon.

It is believed that the boys were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from the gas heater. Ambulance officers, police, and a doctor applied artificial respiration for nearly an hour and a half, in an unsuccessful attempt to revive them.

The brothers went to the bathroom of their home at 4. 20 p.m., and were then in the best of spirits. Another brother, who brought them a towel about 20 minutes later, found them both sitting up in the bath, with the gas heater alight, and in a few inches of water in the hath, which is an unusually big one. The boys had both the door and the window closed, and the bathroom was full of vapour, but they did not seem to mind. Twenty minutes later Mrs Warman went to the bathroom to see what was keeping her sons. When they did not answer she went in and found them huddled up in the bath, with their faces under water.

Dr S. Alexander, who also lives in Church-street, Parramatta and officers from the Parramatta District Ambulance reached the house about the same time. They applied artificial respiration to both boys, and were assisted later by Constable Upfa.ll, of the Parramatta police. After working in turns until nearly 7 o’clock, they decided that further efforts were useless.

Mi’s Warman told the police that although the bathroom was ful of vapour when she opened it, she did not notice anything unusual. The heater was examined, hut appeared to be in order.