CHILD DIED FROM BURNS IN HOSPITAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18546, 21 August 1928, Page 6

CHILD DIED FROM BURNS IN HOSPITAL.

CLOTHES CAUGHT FIRE FROM BLAZING PAPER.

That the deceased died at the Christchurch Hospital on August 19, from heart failure, following burns and toxaemia, accidentally received, was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr H. A. Young) at an inquest held last evening touching the death of Ngaire Jack, aged eleven months, who sustained burns on August 6, at her home at 37, Westenra Street, Dallington.

Herbert Jack, father of the. child, gave evidence of identification. Hettie Jack, the mother, said that on August 6, at 4.45 p.m., she was working in the kitchen. Iler mother, who lived with her, was in the sittingroom with the deceased child. There was an open fire in the room. She heard her mother go out of the sittingroom and her son, aged one year and nine months, ran into the room with the baby. Then she heard screams and running to the sitting-room saw a sheet of paper blazing in front of the deceased. The baby’s dress was not burning, but a patch on her clothing was smouldering. The child’s face and hand were burnt and witness applied oil and took the child to the hospital. The boy escaped injury. Witness said that she thought that the boy got the paper from a box and lit it from' the fire. There was no screen round the fire.

Newell Raine Cotton, house surgeon at the Christchurch Hospital, said that when deceased was admitted on August 6 she was suffering from moderately severe burns on the left side of her face, neck, left forearm and hand. Moderate shock was present. There was a fairly marked swelling of both eyes. She was treated for burns and shock, but did not show any improvement. She gradually got worse, and died at 1.30 a.m. on August 19. The cause of death was heart failure, following burns and toxaemia.