DEAD BABY IN DRAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 76, 18 October 1939, Page 5

DEAD BABY IN DRAIN

CHILD HAD BREATHED

GRIM FIND AT PIRIPAI

BODY BADLY DECOMPOSED

"POLICE MAKING INQUIRIES

The badly-decomposed body of :a new-born female child, which had breathed after birth, was discovered on Sunday afternoon in the Kopeopeo Diversion drain at Piripai, and police inquiries -are now being made into the matter by Detective-Sergeant R. ,H. Waterson, Gisborne, and Constable F. Fuller, Whakatane.

The body was discovered about 4 p.m. by Mr J. Riini. It was then floating near the floodgate, and it was naked.

police were advised and the was brought into the morgue .Appleby. It was in an extremely -where it was examined by Dr F. J. <bad state and the doctor's task was ra difficult one, but he gave it as his » opinion that the child had breathed : momentarily at least and that it had in the water for from four to eight weeks. The hair of the head was black, and, while it was impos- . sible to say definitely whether the „ child was of Maori or European par- < entage, his opinion inclined to the former racc. There were no signs of • violence on the body.

The police headquarters at Gisborne were informed and Detective"Sergeant. Waterson was detailed to the case, arriving here on Monday and making an immediate start in the investigations. The police task : is difficult as the drain runs for several miles and the body may have been thrown in to it from the main ? road or from any other point. The fact that the race of the child is :also doubtful may make the inquiry more complicated; however, it is pos sible that the investigation may be completed in a day or so.