INQUEST ON CHILD

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1930, Page 1

INQUEST ON CHILD

DEATH FROM. BURNS.

r ßy Telegraph, Per Press Association. |

AUCKLAND, April 20

A finding of accidental death teas returned by the Coroner, Mr Hunt, S.M., this morning at the inquest into the death of Norma Constance Wilson,, a little girl who died at the Auckland Hospital yesterday afternoon as the result of her clothing catching fire. Evidence was given by the father of the child, Wilfred Herbert Wilson;. , fish curer, of Grey Lynn,, that when he left home early yesterday morning, his daughter, aged 43vears, was in an upstairs room at the home of his parents, occupied by himself and the child-: He blew out a candle which he had carried down to breakfast at 4.40 a.m., and took the matches off the dressing table. So far as he was aware, there were no other matches in the room. Later in the morning he saw his daughter at the hospital, and he asked her what had happened. She was conscious, and said: “I lit the candle.” Witness said his step-mother occupied a room adjoining his, and it was likely to him that the child went there and secured some matches.

Mary Ann Houseman, grandmother of the child, said that when she was dressing at 7.15 o’clock yesterday morning, she heard screams. She rushed upstairs to investigate, and saw Norma at the top of the stairs with her nightgown all aflame. With the aid of her husband she wrapped the child in a blanket to extinguish the flames, and had her removed to the hospital. It would appear that when Norma woke up she lit the candle and took it into bed with her. as witness found th'e bed afire and the candle sitting in the centre of it alight. A doctor said the child was admitted to the hospital at 7.15 o’clock yesterday morning, and died at 1 p.m. from shock, following burns to the face, chest, abdomen, back, arms, and legs.