LITTLE GIRL’S DEATH.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 6 April 1926, Page 7

LITTLE GIRL’S DEATH.

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held in the Timaru Public Hospital yesterday, before Mr G, Hastie, Acting Coroner, and u jury consisting of Messrs John McKiin (foreman), G. R. Buckle, G. A. Booth and W. Griffiths George Herbert Usslior, mpdical practitioner, residing in Timaru, said that on Saturday night last he was called to the home of Mr William Stone, of 60 Turnbull .Street, where he examined the body of deceased, Gladys May Stoiie. Life was then extinct There were no external marks on the body. The lower limbs were becoming rigid, ami death, he should snv, had occurred some time previously. From the examination death had probably occurred between six and seven o’clock that evening. The appearance of tlie body was consistent with drowning. Minnie Stone, mother of deceased, gave evidence of identification. She said that on Saturday evenin';, at about 6.15, she saw the little girl playing, in front of the house. A few minutes later she missed the child and ivent to see where she was. She called to her and received no answer, and thought the child hnd gone out on the street. She went out to look on the street for Iter till 9.30. When witness went inside, she thought she would have a rest. She suddenly thought of the drum by the steps in the front garden, and on looking in the drum deceased was found head downwards. The drum had a very littlo water in it, and it hnd been entirely empty a day or two before. She did not know how the water got in it. She fell, the body and it felt quite stiff ns though life was extinct. She went inside and told the father and he removed the body and sent for the doctor. Witness reported the matter to the police. The child, in her opinion was dead when found. Previous to tho accident, the child was in the best of lienll.li.

Roland M. Walden, police constable stationed at Timaru. said that at about 0.45 p.m. on April 3. he went to 50 Turnbull Street, where he found the body of deceased lying on the table in the kitchen. The doctor arrived a few minutes later. A civilian, unknown to witness, ' was applving artificial respiration. This was kept ur> till the arrival of the doctor. At tho request of the mother, witness removed the body to the morgue at the rimaru Public Hospital, whore it was how lying. He examined Ihe aforementioned drum and found that it contained about six inches of water which was quite sufficient to cause the drowning of the child. Tho drum was about three feet high, and in his opinion deceased was tall enough to lean over the edge of Ihe drum, over balance and fall in. The drum ivas about eighteen inches wide and it was 100 narrow to allow the child to tin n ever and "et, her face out of th- water Heavy rain fell on a previous dev and this would he the reason why the water was in the drum. A verdict was returned flmt deeeaaed me* her de" + li on Saturday. April 3 1926. hv faffing into a drum renfeinin- water, the enY|e. l( . P showing that death was accidental.