MOTHER FACES MURDER CHARGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 59, 1 June 1927, Page 13

MOTHER FACES MURDER CHARGE

SENT FOR TRIALOBSERVATION BY MENTAL EXPERTS

The inquest as to the deaths of Elizabeth Jean Kae, aged 4J years, Thomas Rae, 3 years, George Alexander Hae, 21 months, and Mary Tryphena Rae, 8 months, ended at Gore to-day, before Mr. A. Martin, coroner.

William Simpson Cunningham, a farm hand, said on April 11 last, in response to what Rae told him, witness entered Rae’s house and saw three children lying on a bed. They were dead and another child was on the bed dying. Mrs. Rae was also on the bed.

Dr. J. E. Rogers said lie found the dead bodies of tlie four children, one of whom was lying in the kitchen and the other three lying beside their mother on the bed. Mrs. Rae was in a semi-conscious condition, and witness found her to be suffering from a wound under the left breast, apparently produced by a bullet. He examined the four children, who all had bullet wounds in their bodies. All the wounds were discoloured black. The coroner found that the children met their deaths through bullet wounds inflicted by their mother. Mrs. Rae was then charged before Mr. H. J. Dixon, S.M., with the murder of the children.

Dr. Rogers stated that Mrs. Rae admitted to him shooting the children. Speaking as a general practitioner and from general observation of Mrs. Rae while in hospital, witness said he could not certify to her being insane. Sergeant Packer put in a statement taken from Mrs. Rae while she was in hospital. In this Mrs. Rae admitted that she shot the children. She referred at length to alleged domestic disturbances throughout her married life, culminating in her decision to shoot the children. She alleged cruelty against her husband, and she also admitted attempting to take her own life. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court at Invercargill for trial. Meantime she is to be kept under observation by mental experts.