DEATH BEFORE ASYLUM

NZ Truth, Issue 1210, 7 February 1929, Page 4

DEATH BEFORE ASYLUM

"I Pitied Her" Said Mother Who Killed Her Six-Year-Old Idiot Child

NOT GUILTY, BUT WILL BE DETAINED

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Adelaide Representative.)

Pathetic tragedy of an intense nature marked the trial. for murder, m the Adelaide Criminal Court recently, of a married woman, Ivy Hill Wharton. The charge followed the death of her own child, Beryl Jean, aged six years. The unfortunate child had been mentally deficient from birth and, according, to the allegations made by the Crown, it was through this circumstance that the mother took the life of her child. . Mrs. Wharton, a pale, delicate-looking woman, was found not guilty on the ground of insanity and was ordered to be kept m custody.

THE Chief. Justice, Sir George Murray, was on the bench and R. R. Chamberlain conducted the .. prosecution for the CroAvni Mrs. Wharton, was defended ,by Lawyer C. A. Sandery, the Public SolicitdiV „ In opening the ease to the jury, the Crown Prosecutor laid particular stress on the treatment of cases where temporary insanity was pleaded m defence, and he intimated that this point would probably be raised during the proceedings. " • • ' In her statement to the police, Mrs. Wharton said :. "I- could stand the strain no longer. I have had several nervous breakdowns, terrible headaches, and I have had three breakdowns during the past 12 months caused by worry, of my children: Not being able to afford help 'and not having money to take a holiday it completely got on my nerves — the cares and worry of Jean and the constant , watch over her as she always, had to be kept under my supervision and she could not be trusted with anyone else. ...'..■■ "I couid stand it no longer. My constant dread was that the child

Whenever she was out of her mother's sight she would pick up old bones or rags and chew them. She was m the habit of walking along the table, and unless rescued would fall off. She would get into Avater wherever it was, clothes and all. She would also throw stones at her brothers -and sisters, and sometimes hit them. Ever since he had been married his wife had suffered with sever© pains m her head. Sometimes she would be moody, despondent, and depressed. Those fits would, sometimes suddenly change to fits of exultation. ...... "My wife had never expressed any intention of doing: any injury to Jean," he added. "She often expressed her anxiety to me about Jean having children, and would worry as to whether they would be idiots also. Her constant dread was of men attacking Jean." In a statement from tlie dock Mrs. Wharton said she had taken the child to several doctors to see if ayh thing could be done with her, and to. see if