ALLEGED MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23558, 22 July 1938, Page 16

ALLEGED MURDER

CHILD’S BODY ON RIVER BANK YOUNG WOMAN CHARGED EVIDENCE OF ACCUSED’S FATHER (Per United Peebb Association) AUCKLAND, July 21. The murder of her five-months-old female child by drowning in Northern Wairoa River in April was charged against Hazel Frances Evans, of Aratapu, aged 21, in the Supreme Couri. to-day, before Mr Justice Fair and a jury. Mr V. R. Meredith prosecuted for the Crown, and Mr R. A. Singer appeared for the accused. Outlining the evidence for, the prosecution, Mr Meredith said the accused girl lived with her parents. On October 27 she gave birth' to an illegitimate child, and when she and the child returned to her home from the nursing home, she made several unsuccessful attempts to have the child, placed in an orphanage. There was some unpleasantness in the home over the child, which culminated in a quarrel betwen the girl and her father on April 2. She told her father to Go to hell.” He replied that if that was the way she felt she had better gel nut of the home with the baby. The accused went to a neighbour’s place and said she was going to send the baby away that night. ’ She was going to Tekopuru to meet a lady who was going to adopt the baby, and she asked that a girl of the neighbour’s should help her to carry the baby. That night the accused and Miss Alves walked to Tekopuru with the baby. The accused said she was to meet a lady at the Tekopuru Post Office at 8 p.m When they arrived there was no lady there. Miss Alves went on to the Old Men’s Home, where she worked, and went to bed. About an hour later th“ accused came to her room and said the lady had come and taken the child As the accused was very wet, she stopped ’ there that pigm and returned home next morning. She arranged to stop at Mrs Alves’s home, but in the meantime answered by telephone an advertisement and got a housekeeper’s position She told her mother the baby had been taken to Auckland and adopted. That was on April 4. Ten days later a man, named Ke"ith Warmington was working on the river bank at Tekopuru when h»noticed the body of a baby on the grass near the water’s edge. It was decomposed, but was identified as the accused’s child. . .■ „ “I am satisfied,” said counsel, that the evidence will force you to the conclusion that the accused, upset and desperate with shame and her position, dn her home, took the baby to Tekopuru that night with the intention of putting it In the river. If it had not been for the high spring tide, possibly nothing more would have been seen oi it.”

Counsel added that an admission made to Detectives Findlay and Miller would no doubt satisfy the jury of what had happened, Molly Richards, Plunket district nurse, gave evidence that the accused appeared to be rather a dull girl. Witness knew she had tried to get the baby into a home. Vema Margaret Alves said that when the accused told her she had given the baby to a lady, witness reminded her that she still had the suitcase containing the baby’s clothes. The accused replied that she had to send the Suitcase to the lady next day by service car. Marion Isobel Alves, mother of the previous witness, identified a petticoat found on the drowned baby as one she had given the accused for the baby. To Mr Singer, witness said the accused was a bit childish since the birth of the child, and had complained of being nervous and not getting enough sleep. William Evans, a labourer, father of the accused, said he and his daughter had not been on the best of terms. It was not because of the baby. Witness had not had any words with the accused before April 3, On that day the accused seemed to be in a bad numour. During the morning witness asked her if she would have a cup of tea, and the accused told him to mind his own business or get out of it. Witness said there had been plenty of unpleasantness between himself and the accused right through 1937. Witness said he had spoken to the accused about the hospital bill, and had complained about the baby crying. He had told her she would have to gel rid of it. Witness said he often thought from her early years that the accused was not normal. Witness could not remember whether the accused had told him she could not get rid of the baby because she had nowhere to put it. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow after medical evidence had been heard.