DEATH OF A CHILD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9521, 20 April 1909, Page 1

DEATH OF A CHILD.

INQUEST AT RANGIORA. The adjourned inquest touching th< death of the infant child of Jane Bur nett was held by Mr T..A. B. Bailey District Coroner, and a jury at Rang iora yesterday. Mr Van Asch. Watch ed proceedings on behalf of the ; mothe: of the infant. The inquest was openec at the Courthouse and then adjournec to the residence of Mr.'.D. H. Booth Sergeant -M'Kay led evidence. Ellen Isabella Booth, . wife of D. H Booth, stated that Jane Burnett firsi went to her place two months age aiid stayed about a fortnight. , Wit nes then suspected her condition. A1 the end of - the fortnight, she went t< Mrs Beck, witness's sister, in the' Fernside R4ad. Oh Sunday, April 11, witness went to Mts Beck's house. - She noticed blood in the back yard. She went to Mrs Wyle,. a nurse, and/asked her to see Miss Burnett and inform witness on her way back if anything was wrong. Mrs Wyle's answer was not satisfactory; . when she returned. On -the following morning witness saw Miss Burnett in the kitchen. She had breakfast and dinner, did some washing and then went into the town. Witness and her sister- went into Miss Burnett's room and found what appeared to be the dead body of a child in a hat-box in a hamper under 7 the bed. • The body ■was tied up in a cloth. Witness and her sister went for Mrs Wyle and later on witness asked Dr Volekinan to > go to her sister's. Miss Burnett left the house at 4 o'clock and returned at 8.30 p.m. . To Sergeant M'Kay : Mrs Beck was confined on Thursday morning, April 15, and now had her child with her. Mrs Beck was called, but it was found that she was not. well enough to give, evidence. Annie Wyle stated that she was a widow, and <a professional" nurse. On Sunday, April 11, she saw Miss Burnett, who denied that there was -anything the matter 'with her. Oh. the ■following day Mrs Booth called for her again, and on going to Mrs Beck's house she saw the body of a child as described by the previous witness. Next day she was sent for to > nurse Miss Burnett, and, after^ seeing her, came to the conclusion, that she had given birth to a child. " • Dr Volckman gave : evidence that on Monday, April 12 j he saw" the 'body of a female child at Mrs Beck's house, as described by previous witnesses. There was a, white mark extending completely round the neck, and corresponding in width with 'the umbilical cord. On. the following day he saw Miss Burnett and came to the conclusion that she had given birth to a child. He made an examination of the body of thechildy and found that it had bVeathed.i but only for a short time. It had died through being strangled by the umbilical cord. ■■■...■!.' To Mr Van Asch: The girl informed him, that the child was born on , Sunday, at about 2 a.m., .in the back-yafdj and she thought it was dead when she took it into the house. She stated that she severed the umbilical cord with a pair of scissors. He did not remember asking the girl whether the umbilical cord was round the child's neck. If she stated that he did so and ehe replied that it was, probably she was speaking the truth. At 5.30 p.m. the inquest was adjourned until 10- a.m. on the following.) Mnndar. ■*-"' i '.n..» '*- ■ : _.._.!