A Child Suffocated by its Mother.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4261, 28 August 1882, Page 2

A Child Suffocated by its Mother.

An inquest into the death of a child aged seven months named Mary Jane Harris was held at the Hazelbank Hotel this morning, before J) r Kilgour, Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr Michael Landers was foreman.

Mrs Wm. Stephen Bird deposed she is living apart from her husband in a house adjoining the Hazelbank Hotel. She sells lemonade and hop beer. Mrs Elizabeth Harris lived with her for some time, but is now living in her own house in Abraham street. She came to witness's house, between 5 and 6 on Saturday evening, with her baby. The baby was then in good health. She had tea, of which the baby partook; it likewise had bread and milk in the forenoon. Mrs Harris remained all night. The baby was put to bed at 8, and was asleep when witness went to bed at 1.30. It lay on a single stretcher in the back room, and was wrapped in a blanket and coverlet. Mrs Harris had two glasses of beer, and did not appear the worse of it. She slept on the stretcher with the baby. The baby was quiet until Mrs Harris went to bed. Heard no noise during the night. Witness got up at 8 o'clock for the milk, and the baby was breathing then—it was lying on its mother's right arm, both being asleep. Went to bed again, and got up about 10.30. Mrs Harris then got up, and screamed with the child in her arms. She sang out, •' Oh, my child 1" Took the child from her; it was dead, but quite warm. Advised her to go for the doctor, and she went immediately. She was away about two and a-half hours, but did not bring the doctor. The child was subject to convulsions, and was so troubled about a month ago. Mrs Harris

appeared to be very fond of the child. She was suckling the baby, but had very little milk—not enough to nourish it. Did not think she could have overlain the child. Witness had seen it lying in the same position several times. A man had been in the kitchen where she was from ll'3O to 1*30; he sat on the sofa, but not near the chiH3. The child was seven months old.

Elizabeth Harris, a widow, deposed that sometimes her child was healthy, other times it would fall away, and twice went into convulsions, turning black around the nose. Did not fully undress the child until she went to bed. Got up at four o'clock for a drink of tea, and the baby was all right then. Woke up when the band was passing about 10.30, and found the child dead in her arms. Did not undress herself. Could not have overlain it. Accounted for the discoloration on the right side and back through convulsions. It was washed every morning. Asked Dr Payne to come down, but he said it was no use, he could do nothing. Did not change the child's clothing because she had no others with her.

Jessie Bird, aged 16, deposed that she lived with her mother. Mrs Harris did not undress when she went to bed. She appeared to have had drink, but was not drunk; probably had some before she came to their place. She was only covered with a shawl; she lay on the quilt and blanket. The man brought a small bottle of brandy ; he was troublesome, and witness went for the police, and when she came back it was half empty, a portion being on the floor. Mrs Harris used to lie down sometimes without undressing. The child was always sickly. The bottle was left on the table in the kitchen, but witness saw no more of it. Saw the bottle next morning in the yard empty. Mrs Harris, recalled, deposed the man drank two glasses of brandy, and she had a glass in a drop of cold water. Mrs Bird had a little. Had no drink before going to Mrs Bird's, except a glass of beer when she went to the butcher's at 11 o'clock in the morning. Dr Huxtable deposed he was called in yesterday morning to see the child. It was dead, but not quite cold. On the right aide of the body and head there were large patches of discoloration, which had almost disappeared 24 hours after death. He would attribute the discoloration to pressure upoD that side. He took it that the woman had pressed against the child, and that light pressure was sufficient to cause the lividity, the blood being fluid owing probably to the child being badly nourished. Made a post-mortem examination. There was a little frothy mucus about the lips, which were livid. The lungs were darkly congested and studded with numerous spots, varying in size from a pin's head to a split pea. In the lung tissue there was a good deal of frothy liquid, but there were no apoplectic clots such as occurs in strangulation. The mucus membrane of the bronchial tubes was also dark and congested. The heart was contracted and almost empty, and contained a small quantity of liquid almost without smell. The appearances were consistent with death from suffocation. Would not infer by this that death had proceeded from convulsions. Constable Slight deposed—When called in he saw a flask containing about a glass of what he took to be brandy on the table. Fiom her way of speaking Mrs Harris seemed to be under the influence of drink, but not Mrs Bird. The child was sitting on the mother's knee. This was about 1.30. Went in about 2; Mrs Harris was then lying on the sofa with the child's head on her arm. She had a shawl over her, and both appeared to be asleep. The place does not bear a very good name ; he had seen men round there at night.

The Coroaer said the evidence was contradictory. Mrs Harris' differed from that of Mrs Bird and Miss Bird sufficient to arrest their attention. The evidence of the constable was that she appeared drunk, and therefore they might conclude that her evidence was inaccurate in some particulars. He agreed with the doctor that the appearances were such as would result from suffocation, and he saw no other cause for it than pressure in some form from the mother.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the child was accidentally suffocated while sleeping with its mother.