KICKED ON HEAD BY HORSE

Southland Times, Issue 23676, 26 November 1938, Page 5

KICKED ON HEAD BY HORSE

Little Girl’s Death In Hospital

ACCIDENT NEAR STABLE AT KENNINGTON

An inquest into the death of Beverley Jean Mawdsley, two years old, of Kennington, who was kicked on the head by a horse on October 16, was held yesterday before the Coroner, Mr R. C. Abernethy. Sergeant J. Coutts conducted the inquest on behalf of the police.

William Leslie Alexander Mawdsley, 12 years old, a brother, said he was cleaning out a loose box at his home on Sunday, October 16. The horse was feeding about a chain away from the box. His sister had been in the loose box but she went outside, and soon after he looked out and saw her lying near the feeder. He saw that his sister was hurt and he picked her up and took her into the stable before calling his father. His sister was bleeding from the right ear and was unconscious. Dr H. Hunter said he examined the , hild on her admission to hospital at I p.m. on October 16. She was suffering from a wound in the scalp and a depressed fracture on the right side of the head. An operation was performed but the child.failed to rally and died at 11.10 p.m. on October 17. The injuries were consistent with the story told him about the child being kicked on the head by a. horse. • , “This is'one of those distressing accidents which occur at various times,” said the Coroner* “I can only express the sympathy of the Court with the parents who have lost a bonnie child.” , , • , The Coroner found that Beverley Jean Mawdsley died at Invercargill on October 17, 1938, the cause of death being fracture of the skull with injury to the underlying brain _ due to her having been accidentally kicked on the head by a horse.

INQUEST INTO DEATH OF RETURNED SOLDIER

An inquest into the death of John O’Halloran, a war pensioner, who died on October 27 from wounds, was held before the Coroner, Mr R. C. Abernethy. Mrs V. L. O’Halloran said her husband was a disabled returned soldiet, 48 years old. He had been badly wounded and had been in poor health and suffered very much from nerve trouble since the war. Although her husband suffered continually from the effects of war service he never gave the slightest indication that he intended to take his life. Dr F. O. Mac Gibbon said he found John O’Halloran lying on his back in a pool of blood in the bathroom. There was a gaping wound in his throat, all the main blood vessels being severed. The cause of death was haemorrhage. The following verdict was returned: That John O’Halloran, of Invercargill, bootmaker and war pensioner, died at Invercargill on October 27, 1938, the cause of death being haemorrhage due to a wound self inflicted with a razor while he was suffering from nerve trouble and ill-health resulting from war injuries.