FRACTURED SKULL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 120, 14 February 1921, Page 6

FRACTURED SKULL

BODY FOUND IN HARBOUR 0 ■ ■ DEATH OF NEWLY-BORN CHILD An inquest was held on Saturday mornhig by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., into the circumstances surrounding the death of an infant whose body was found on the foreshore at the northern end of '■> Thomdon on Thursday last. Dr. C. M. Hector, who made the postmortem examination, stated that the body waa that of a newly-born male child. He was unable to discover whether the child had had any food or not. On examining the scalp he found it in • bruised condition, and it contained a considerable infusion of blood, particularly above the right ear. The skull was fractured, the brain was lacerated iu one place, and the remainder was in a more or less congested state. There was no doubt but that tho child was born alive, and tho marks on the head had probably been inflicted' whilst the child was alive. He thought from the appearance of tho body that it had been in the water for about a week. Evidence was also given as to the finding of the body >on the foreshore at the northern end og Thorndon, and its recovery and removal to the morgue. At this stage the inquest was adjourned to February 26, to enable the police io procure additional evidence.