DRAGGED BY HORSE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 3, 14 January 1942, Page 5

DRAGGED BY HORSE

SCHOOL BOY KILLED

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

A schoolboy, Lennie Mareroa, aged 13 years, son of Mr Riaki Mareroa, a farmer of Omiarumutu, met almost instantaneous death on January 1 at Omarumutu when he was dragged 100' yards by a horse which bolted, and to which be was tied by a long lead rope. The story of the fataility was told at the inquest which* was held at the Opotiki Courthouse presided' over by Mr F. J. Short, district coroner.

Riaki Marcroa, father of the boy, who gave evidence of identification, stated that Lennie was a schoolboy attending the Omarumutu School. The bey always enjoyed good health. At about 1 p.m. on January 1 witness saw his son at his. house when they were having dinner and shortly afterwards the boy left the house in company with another boy named Miatiu Miliaere to get a horse. Witness did not see his son alive after that. At about 2 p.m. he received informatic.n that his son had had an accident in the paddock, and when he arrived there he found liim lying on the ground near a fence. He appeared to be dead, having severe injuries on the head and face. Di. lames was sent for and the body was removed to the house. The doctor arrived in about half an hour, and stated that the boy was dead, his neck having been broken. Evidence was given by Dr C. S. James who stated that the boy sustained a broken neck. He had congestion of the head and facc, and grazed the side of his scalp, which suggested that he had been dragged head downwards by the horse. Matiu Mihaere, a schoolboy aged 13 years, who went with Lennie- to catch the horse, said that the paddock was some distance away from the house. Lennie and he drove the horse into a corner to get hold of it. They put a rope round its neck and started to lead it home. Lennie tied the leading rope round his shoulders so that he could take the strain of the rope when leading the horse along. There was another horse with a foal in the paddock which ran away, the horse that Lennie was leading bolting aftci her. Deceased could not get out of the hitch he had made in the rope round his shoulders, and was dragged about 100 yards. The leading rope a long one, and Lennie was some distance behind the horse, and after he had been dragged about 100 yards he fell clear and lay still. Witness ran up to him and noticed that he was bleeding from the head and face. The boy did not speak to witness, and witness thought he was dead then. The coroner returned a veriucl thatl deceased came to his death at Omarumutu oin January 1, 1942, the cause of death being a broken neck caused by being dragged by a horse which he was leading.