Woman Who Tried To Kill Her Children

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 42, 19 February 1937, Page 7

Woman Who Tried To Kill Her Children

BATHETIC NEAR-TRAGEDY Per Press Association. HAMILTON, Feb. 18. The case is proceeding in th* Supreme Court of Petrina Louise Kui, of Cambridge, charged before Mr Juatica Fair witfa attempting on December 24 to murder her two half-caste Chinese qhildren, Keith Leong Petersen and JNancy Lee Petersen and further, with attempting to oommit suicide. The Crown advised the jury that it might be wise to consider the caeo leniently. In opening the Crown case, Mr Fitzgerald said Tor the paet six years the accused had been living in Cambridge with Fong Bink Kui and the two had posed as man and wife. They bad two children and, since the lower Court trial, the two had been married. Dr. Henry Charles Tod, of Cambridge, said that on December 24 he went to the kitchen of Fong Lee'e laundry in Empire etreet, Cambridge, and found the accused and her two children with the front portion of their clothes saturated with blood. The boy was suffering from a single transverse rut along the front of the neck. Although the windpipe and important vessels were not severed the child was weak from loss of blood. Ttie little girl was suffering from a similar wound, but it was not so serious. Witness found the accused also suffering from & similar superficial wound, which was aot serious. She was excited and talked considerably. Witness dTd not think the accused was intoxicated She admitted to witness inflicting the wounds with a razor and said she wished that she had made a better effort, but the razor waa too blunt. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts with a strong recommendation to mercy. Mr Justice Fair said he agreed with the reeommendntioD and admitted prisoner to probation for twelve months.