Missing Woman’s Body Discovered

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 841, 9 December 1929, Page 1

Missing Woman’s Body Discovered

FOUND IN PADDOCK ABSENT SINCE NOVEMBER 29 Missing from her home in St. James Street, Newton, since November 29, Mrs. Theodora Margaret Rastrick, aged 40, was found dead in a paddock at the rear of the Mangere Domain shortly after noon on Saturday. Mr. J. Gilchrist, a shepherd, employed at the domain, which is used for grazing, made the discovery. Pie saw the body lying near an old road, covered with grass, leading through a paddock about a mile back from the main road. He notified the Onehunga police and Sergeant O’Neill and Constable Walton took the body to Onehunga, where it was identified as that of Mrs. Rastrick.

DIED FROM HEART FAILURE

INQUEST THIS MORNING In an inquest held at Onehunga this morning on the death on Mangere Mountain of Mrs. Theodora Margaret Rastrick, the coroner, Mr. D. A. Sutherland, returned a verdict of death by heart failure, brought on by exhaustion and exposure. This was in accordance with the testimony of Dr. James Kirkwood. Mrs. Rastrick, who was aged 40, was missing from her home in Newton since November 29, on which date her husband. Alfred Rastrick, who gave evidence, arrived home at 1 p.m. His wife had lately been depressed and suffered from pains near the heart. She had been discharged from the Wolfe Home, where she had received mental treatment, three weeks before her disappearance. The police had been informed of the disappearance immediately Dr. Kirkwood said he had treated the deceased for heart trouble from June 7 to August 2. She had been ordered to take morphia, the continued use tending to affect her mental condition. Deceased had developed delusions and required treatment. Death probably occurred on or about December 4. Recalled, Mr. Rastrick did not think deceased could have walked from Newton to Mangere. A climb up a hill would probably cause her to collapse.