A TRAGIC STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18170, 7 November 1930, Page 7

A TRAGIC STORY.

MOTHER’S MAD ACT. POISON GIVEN TO CHILDREN. VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. A 1 tragic story of a mother administering poisoned medicine to her two children, was told to-day by Iris Dunford, aged 17 years, at the inquest concerning the death on October 21 of Mrs Fanny Elizabeth Mary Dunford and her son, Rhyll Francis Dunford, aged 16. The coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., returned a verdict that Mrs Dunford’s death .was due to suicide by poison, and that her son’s death was due to poison administered by his mother with intent to procure his death. Dr. Arthur Thompson gave evidence as to having examined 1 the bodies of the mother and son. In the bedroom occupied'by the mother and daughter was a cup which had apparently contained a mixture of golden syrup and sulphur. From what he saw of the hoy and girl he was of the opinion that they were suffering from poison. Daughter’s Evldenoe. iris Dunford said that on the Monday morning she and her brother went to work as usual. Her mother was still in her usual state of health, but she was very quiet and, indeed, had hardly spoken a word all Sunday and Monday- Witness said she had had a pain for the previous fortnight, and had complained of it to her mother. That evening her mother said. ‘Til give you children some sulphur and treacle in the morning, and that will make you all right.” In the morning her mother rose To get the breakfast. The first Time witness awoke was when her mother brought her some of the medicine in a cup. The medicine seemed to he sulphur and treacle, and her mother gave her a teaspoonful. Witness took some of it and noticed that it tasted bitter. She swallowed about half of it and then spat the rest out. _ “ i told mother I did not like it," said witness, “ and that it tasted bitter. It was the taste that made me think It might be poisoned, but I had no reason to think that mother might want to poison me. Then mother tried to force the medicine on me, but I would not take it. A little later I heard a most awful noise frqm my brother in the other room. ■ Witness said she jumped out of bed and went into her brother’s roomHe was in bed and her mother was sitting by the bedside. 11 1 said to mother, “ You have poisoned us,’ ” continued witness. 11 She said, ‘ Don’t be sily. He’s only got a stomach ache.’ I was sure that it was poison, and said I was going for the doctor.” Witness said her mother locked the back door, but she got some clothes from her bedroom and went out by the front to the doctor’s, leaving her mother and brother in the house. Witness assured the coroner that there had been no recent disputes between herself and her mother, and that her mother never had any money troubles. , .. The coroner then returned his verdict.