Father Who Drowned Child To Save Her From Suffering

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 183, 24 October 1927, Page 1

Father Who Drowned Child To Save Her From Suffering

“FOOD FOR THOUGHT” SA YS JUDGE

By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.45 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. A HEARTRENDING story of misfortune was told when, before Mr. Justice Branson, at the Chester Assises, Albert Davis, aged 28, was charged with the murder of his child. The judge made a remarkable statement on the aspect of this murder being committed to save a child, hopelessly ill, from pain.

r J'HE judge said: “This is a heartrending story of a father who was driven to distraction by the sufferings of his child, and he takes it upon himself to put an end to them. It gives food for thought. Had this poor child been an animal instead of a human being, then instead of this father being blameworthy, he would actually have been liable to punish-

ment had he not done it.” The case was heard before a jury including three women. The prosecuting counsel said that Davis was the victim of most tragic misfortunes. He enlisted in 1919 at the age of 16, by giving a false age. He was demobilised in 1919, and married in 1920. He had several children in quick succession, and his wife was invalided. Davis sold the furniture and took over the housework and care of the children, to whom he was deeply devoted. His wife developed tuberculosis and became permanently bedridden. She died at child-birth. The child developed septic pneumonia and gangrene of the face, following measles. Davis refused his neighbours’ assistance and nursed the child all through the nights. Finally he placed the child in a bath, went to the police station, and said:—-“I have drowned my baby. She is better off. I could not bear to see her suffering.” Medical evidence showed that the child would have died in a few days at the most.—A. and N.Z.