GIRL SUFFOCATED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1025, 30 March 1912, Page 3

GIRL SUFFOCATED.

BY KAPOC FUMES

Auckland, March 29

Death Irom suffocation was the fate that overtook Belinda Bow, nine years old, at the residence of her parents in Pousouby this afternoon. At about 3.30 p.m. tue child’s mother left home for a lew minutes to visit a sick friend, and the little girl Belinda, who was a semi-invalid, remained at home playing with her iive-yeui-oki brother and two of his playmates. An elder brother of the Bow children, on returning from school noticed smoke in the house as he opened tne back door. He immediately went lor his mother. It was then discovered that a kapoc mat 1 less was smouldering in the room where the little girl Belinda slept. Mrs Bow entered the room, which was full of smoke, and found the child on the bed unconscious. The smoking mattreos was 011 the table and she left it there whilst she carried her daughter out into the back yard. A neighbour assisted her in a fruitless attempt to resuscitate the child. Meantime neighbours suppressed the fire in the house. It is supposed the lire was caused by the children playing with matches during the mother’s absence.