BODIES FOUND IN BATH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19336, 28 May 1937, Page 13

BODIES FOUND IN BATH

MOTHER AND CHILD

TRAGEDY AT HASTINGS

NERVOUS DEPRESSION

(Per Press Association.) HASTINGS, this day.

A tragedy was discovered in Hastings last night, when Mrs. Hilda McLeod, wife of Mr. I. S. McLeod, Townshend street, and her small soil were found dead in a bath just after 9 p.m. Mrs. McLeod was a well-known resident of Hastings and had recently been suffering from nervous trouble. At the time of the tragedy Mr. McLeod was at the pictures and was called out during the programme. l)r. Cashmore was summoned immediately, but the victims were already dead. Mrs. McLeod was 34 years of age, and the child was two and a half years old.

Mrs. McLeod, since tho death of her second child two months ago, had suffered ill-health and was subject to nervous depression. It was arranged yesterday that Mrs. McLeod should accompany her husband and some friends to the pictures last evening, but shortly before they were to leave she expressed a desire not to go. After Mr. McLeod had gone to tho pictures, Mrs. McLeod said to a nurse who was in the house caring for the baby, that she intended having a bath and going to hod. Later the nurse visited the bathroom, and finding the door locked, immediately communicated with the picture theatre which the husband was attending. A doctor was also called. On investigation it was found that the child had been drowned in the hath and tho mother, who was also in (lie bath, had taken n fatal dose of poison.