ABANDONED CHILD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17010, 7 April 1923, Page 7

ABANDONED CHILD.

MOTHER’S STRANGE ! STORY. “DISCOVERED BY HERSELF” A strange story of the discovery iu the garden of a house at 68, Buchanan’s Road, Sockburn, of an abandoned female child, which has since died in the Christchurch Hospital, was investigated by the police yesterday. The matter was reported to the police by Mrs George Foster, the occupant of the house, and as a result of their inquiries the police ascertained that the mother whs a single young woman, living in the same house, who had invented the story of the child being discovered. The mother is at present receiving attention in the Christchurch Hospital. The mother gave birth to the child between midnight and one o’clock on Thursday morning, and was alone at the time. Yesterday morning she told Mrs Foster that she had found the child in the garden outside her window, and Mrs Foster immediate!v informed Dr Crook* and Constable Hanna fin, of Upper Riccarton, who, after visiting the house, removed the child to the Christchurch Hospital. Detectives Newman and Thompson were then sent out from headquarters, and after questioning the occupants of the house, obtained a full confession from the mother. The child was prematurely born, and was in a very weak condition when first seen by Dr Crooke. It died at ten o’clock last night. The mother was removed to the hospital yesterday- and is receiving medical attention. An inquest will be held.