Burying a Child Alive

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 107, 24 February 1885, Page 3

Burying a Child Alive

♦ A shocking case of a child having been buried alive has come to light. The father of the child, John Lawther, a carpenter, took the infant one morning to Knock Graveyard, about two miles -distant Aom Belfast. As he had not a certificate of the registration of death, the coffin was placed in the gravedigger's hut. About five hours afterwards, when about to enter it, the gravedigger, a man named William Bpence; heard moans, and was so frightened that he ran into Belfast and told the child's father. The latter went out to Kncck, and as the gravedigger "would not inter the coffin he did ab himself. Spence, who had some drink with the father, said he would not mention the matter, but subsequently told his brother-in-law, and they proceeded to the grave, raised the coffin, unscrewed the lid, and found the infant still alive, The body, which was in the coffin at least fifteen hours, was taken to an adjoining farmer's house, where restoratives were applied and milk given to the ch'ld. Death however resulted. Both the father and mother of the child, t .as well as the father's mother in-law, Mrs M'Cracken, were arrested on a .charge of wilful murder. They were brought before a magistrate (Mr A; D. Lennon, J.P,), and were remanded.