INQUEST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 613, 30 May 1882, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Okain's Bay, yesierd y. on the bo:!}' of Lucy Winifred Sefton. nged 5 weeks, who was found dead in n.-r mother's bed on Ftiday last; before J. Aylmer, Esq., Coroner. The following evidence was taken, Mr J. E. Thacker being chosen foreman of the Jury:—

Maiy Susannah Sefton, sworn, said : I am the mother of deceased, Lucy Winifred Sefton. I remember the morning of Friday, the 26th inst. Deceased was ip my bed with Ellen Elizabeth Hall. About four o'clock in the morning my sister called me. The deceased was ciying, 1 gave the deceased the breast. I heard no more of deceased till eight o'clock. My fcister told me deceased did not look well. Deceased was frothing at the mouth. I put deceased in a warm bath. I saw noihmg more, as I had a fit, Ellen Elizabeth Hall, sworn, said : I am sister of deceased's mother. I slept in the same bed with my sisier and deceased on Thursday, 25;h May, 1882. I awoke between seven and eight o'clock on the morning of the 261h inst. Deceased was lying on ihe pillow, off her arm. Deceased looked as if she had been S'ck. Deceased seemed dead. Deceased's mother was not awake at tbe time, The mother took deceased to her grandfather. Deceased was put in a hot bath.

Francis Elliot Co>bet -Smgleton, sworn, said : I am a legally qoalified practitioner, residing in Akaroa. I have this 29th day of May. 1882, made a, post-mortem exami - naiion of the body of Lucy Winifred Sefion. The body is that of a well-nou>isbed child, though somewhat small. There are no marks of violence on the body. On opening the cbe9t, ihe lungs were found to he voluminous, and were very much congested. The heart was esamined in siin. The large vessels of the heart were filled with dark liquid blood. The right s ; de of the heat was filled wiih liquid and dark blood; the left; side was contracted, and empty of blood. On removing the calva)ium, the surface of the brain was found lo be greatly congested, o> her wise healthy. Other organs healthy. From tiie above examination, I am of opinion that the deceased died of asphyxia, probably ftom the bedclothes or shawl getung over the child's mouth and nose.

The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."