PLAY-GROUND FATALITY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5364, 14 December 1928, Page 2

PLAY-GROUND FATALITY.

COLLAPSE OF YOUNG GIRL. RESULT OF SHOCK. Tlie Inquest touching on the death of Thelma Victoria Dent, who expired shortly after falling off a see-saw in the children’s amusement area in Paeroa on Tuesday evening, was held in the Courthouse on Wednesday night, before -Mr F. E. Flatt, Coroner.

George Dent, father of the deceased child, said that she was bonni on March 6, 1915, at Karangahake. She was a pupil of the Paercp District High School. For. some years she had been in good health, and never at any time complained Cjf being unwell. When two years of age she went under an operation for, a rupture which was successful. From that time until now she had never had any ill-effec,ts cf the operation. He last saw her alive when he left home to.go to work on Tuesday morning At 8 o’clock. She was then in her usual gqod spirits He returned shortly alter 5 p.m., and Dr. Smith was then attending her. She died a few minutes later. Shortly afterwards Dr. Little arrived. When she came home from school she had a sandwich qf bread and cheese. She had not had any trouble during the past few days. ■.

Dr. Little stabed that lie had made a post-mcrtcni examination of de-, ceased, and found that the body was that of a well-nlqurished girl of about 13 years of age. There were no signs of any bruising, or wounds on the body and no signs of any fracture qr dislocation. The air passages were free from any foreign matter. AH the organs cf the body were perfectly healthy, and there was nd sign c.t anv brain injury. The Thymus gland and some of the glands in the abdomen were enlarged. This was found in a condition called status lymphotocies. Subjects of this condition were very liable to sudden death from any slight shock- In his opinion the cause of death was syncope, due to the shock while in the state of status lymphotocies. The complaint was' comparatively rare. The contents 'of the stomach appeared to be quite normal. This complaint cbuld cause death at any time due to, a slight shock. He was quite satisfied, after, very careful examination, that that was the cause of death.

Illa Payne, 12 years of agje, residing in Corbett Street, said she knew Thelma Dent. After school she went with deceased to the amusement park opposite the Paeroa Hotel. When they arrived they first of all went on to th.e swings, then left the swings anl went on to the see-saws. Two other girls were on the see-saw alongside of them, Grace Dale • and Heath Forrest. While see-sawing she caught hold of Heath Forrest’s hand, and Grace Dale tried to catch hands with deceased. During, this time she was talking to Heath Forrest. Suddenly Thelma Dent fell off, and the see-saw came down. They had only just .started, and were level with the bar. When the deceased got up she put her hands to her stomach, she then went and Sat on the other girls* see-saw. she was then frothing at the mouth, she" did not speak, and was wiping, her mouth with heif handkerchief. She could not walk straight. They took her to a water-tap and put some water on her. face. She was then weak. She went from the tap to one of the seats, and then beigan to get black about the eyes and they took her to one of the shops near-by. While walking from the seat to the gate she said, “I can’t walk any mere.” Two girls then caaried her out on to the road. A maul then walked out of the hotel and came straight over. .Anqther man and lady came from a. car and took the deceased away. The see-saw, did not hit the girl. The acc.idfent took place about 4.30 o’clock, she had knqwn the deceased for four months, but had not heard her complain of any pain. Corrqborative. evidence, was given by Grace Dale, who added/ that there was nb rough play going on/ at all. The coroner, in summing up. said that people might think that there was seme danger attached 1 to the sees saw, or that some rough) play had been going on. He had 'made very careful inquiry and was satisfied that the cause of death was not due in any way to the .see-saw; nqr was there any rough play. The children had beefi carrying on in quite a normal way. His verdict was in' accord, with the medical evidence. Everything was quite in order, and the little girls who were playing with the deceased need have no regrets at anything they had done. He was satis-; fled that there was rio blame attachable tq anyone. It w BB a "very sad case, aii.d he extended to the bereaved parents his heartfelt sympathy.