CHILD'S TRAGIC DEATH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17241, 24 April 1930, Page 11

CHILD'S TRAGIC DEATH

MURIWAI FATALITY INQUEST HELD TO-DAY The tragic death of the four-year-old Maori girl, Katerina Karepa, wlio succumbed in hospital yesterday to burns sustained near tier home at Muriwai on Tuesday, was investigated this afternoon by Mr. A. G. Beere, acting coroner, and a jury of four, Mr. G. h. Henderson, foreman, and Messrs. G. Williams, T. Hughes and H. 11. Flavell. Constable Brady conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police. Ivapa Wilson said that about noon on Tuesday he heard the deceased crying outside, and opened the back door. In the meantime, however, tho little girl had run round the house, entering by the front door, a mass of flames. Witness extinguished tho flames with a bucket of water. The child was badly burned. The mother arrived immediately after, poured oil over the child's burns, wrapped her well in a sheet, and took her homo.

Tuparoa Karepa, mother of the child, told the court that the deceased followed her while witness went to catch a horse. Deceased went to tho Maori kitchen, where a (ire had been burning earlier in the day. Some sticks had been pulled from the. tire and were still smouldering. The girl apparently sat down on one of these, and when her clothing caught fire she rushed to Mr. Wilson's house, about 100 yards away.

Dr. R. .1. 13. Hall, medical superintendent of tho Cook Hospital, said the child, when admitted to hospital, was suffering from extensive burns to the body and shock. She did not rally and died yesterday, The cause of death, in witness' opinion, was due i'.* shock following on the burns. The verdict was in accordance with tho medical testimony, and that (ho burns were caused accidentally. The jury also commented that all possible under the circumstances was done by the natives concerned.