INSANE MOTHER

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1933, Page 6

INSANE MOTHER

MURDER'S FIVE-YEAR-OLD -SOX. JURY'S VERDICT OF XOT GUILTY. (Per Press Association — Gopyright.) AUCKLAND, October 25. A tragic story of the murder of a live-year-old sou by his mother was recounted in the- Supreme Court today, when Daisy Rayner Lander Bushy, was charged with the murder of her son, Barry, at l’aeroa on September 21. “The doctors will say. Airs Busby was suffering from melancholia and delusions, and was incapable of knowinging the nature and quality of her act, and that she therefore was not criminally responsible,” said the Crown Prosecutor (Mr Alereditk). The evidence given. included that of Dr H. AI. Buchanan, superintendent of the Mental Hospital, who said accused. had delusions of her unwerthiness. She felt she had been a complete failure in life, and a had wife and mother. She felt she. had passed on her attributes to her children, and because of that her children were liable to be harmed by other people. It was for that reason that she felt it would be better that she should kill them all than that they should undergo further suffering. Witness said that she' was definitely in.san.e_ end she .thought at the time of the murder that it was the right thing to do. Mr Justice Hei'dman said it was an exceedingly sad case. The jury would have am difficulty in reaching the conclusion that accused,, was insane at' the time of her action.

, The jury, after -a short retirement, found accused not guilty on the ground' of insanity.

The judge ordered that she be kept in custody, in prison, until the pleasure of the Minister was known.