A BOY'S DEATH

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1933, Page 6

A BOY'S DEATH

A DEMENTED MOTHER. fatal wounds inflicted. P AERO A , September 23. A sad. tragedy occurred in j’ Hivoa this morning as the result >o! which Barry ‘Raymond Busby, the five-yeai-o.d son of Sergeant-Major N. C. Busby, received shocking ’injuries which proved fatal. Mrs Busby, aged 46, was found with wound? in her throat and in a demented state. She wu s immediately placed under police control and .subsequently made a statement,. Her busband was. not at borne when the tragedy oci'uiTcd but arrived in response to an urgent summons.

It appears that Mrs Busby took hei ison B.rry, into the basement of -the house. Screams were heard later by another son, aged seven, who rushed out and summoned a neighbour, .stating that bis, .mother wns hurting the younger hoy under the house. A. TERRIBLE HOME-COMING.

The neighbour telephoned to Ser-geant-Major Busby, who rushed to the house. He found bis little hoy Barry dead in the basement. His head had been .terribly injured by blows )lom an axe and his throat bad been cut. Alter this tragic discovery the. father fom'-.d his wife behind a wash-hou s e with a severe wound in her throat inflicted with a pair of *'■ '&*»'*• * r Busby sitnmioned a doctor- and ie police Dr Little, found that the boy w-as beyond help and gave his attention to Mrs Busby,“wild 'was nru veiy si-rioiif} (mental state. Several »ti cac>. were required to 'close the wound >» her throat. . •, Mrs Busby was immediately placed under police control and kept under guard in her own borne. She Was able to make a statement to the police. A HAPPY FAMILY. Mr Busby stated that he and bis wife and, family had had breakfast as usual this morning and Mrs Busby was in her usual state of health. There was nothing which would suggest ta tragedv was pending. The home is a comfortable modern bungalow of sh rooms, situated on an elevated position with well-kept lawns i,pel hedges. All's Bushy has not always enjoyed ”ho best of health and was for a lengthy period receiving medical treatment.

An inquest >vi 11 he opened to-morou. This afternon SeliuTPeteetive Hall arrived in Paeroa idem Auckland to take charge.of the investigations. The police matron came With him. The Busby family have resided in Paeroa for the past 20 years during which, peri ud Sergeant-Miijor ßusby has been attached to the local office of Lne' Defence They have two sons besides Barry. Busby has always -been,, ..very- popular and-iias assisted in eydJ'y .hvaiicli- -of spprt and helpedi in inmiydeomm,unitymovrme'hts.oTb him -and: the.-members-of bis family.imNersalisympathy is expressed. -: • • • •'' -i