DEATH OF INFANT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20671, 9 March 1937, Page 12

DEATH OF INFANT

NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE By reiegrapb—Pres; Association HASTINGS, March 8. The inquest on the body of an unI identified female infant, found buried on premises at Hastings, one of the occupants of which was Mrs Isohel Annie Aves, was concluded this morning by the Coroner. Mr Geo. Ebbett. The inquiry was commenced on June 27 last, when Dr. J. P. Lynch, of Wellington, gave evidence that the child was premature, but had breathed. He was unable to state the cause of death. This morning Detective Farquharson stated that very exhaustive police inquiries had been made, but evidence to prove the time or place or cause of death could not be obtained. Isohel Annie Aves, was called as a witness. In reply to the Coroner, as to whether she could give any information as to how the body came to be where it was found, or as to the cause, or date of death, witness refused to answer on the ground that the answer might incriminate her. In giving his verdict, the Coroner stated that his business was to determine when and where and by what means the child came to its death. On the evidence he could not fix with certainty any of these things, nor could he establish the identity of the infant. It was obvious that it died at or immediately after birth, and the presumption that it died at Hastings was very strong. The verdict was that the infant died at Hastings on a date between June 22 and 26, 1936, but the evidence was not sufficient to enable him to determine the cause of death.