Baby

A newly-born female baby was found wrapped up in brown paper in Ferndale Road, Teignmouth.

Her left frontal bone was fractured its full length and it was thought that considerable violence must have been used to cause her death.

It was found by a youth employed as a dairyman whilst on his rounds in Ferndale Road at about 4.30pm on Thursday 24 February 1910.

He found the child wrapped up in a parcel lying on the top of a hedge. It had been wrapped up in 2-3 layers of wrapping paper.

It was thought that the child, which had not received proper attention at birth, had been born either late on the Wednesday night or early on Thursday morning.

The only external mark of violence was a very extensive bruise over the left forehead. The left frontal bone was fractured its full length, causing laceration of the brain and an effusion of blood over the left eye. The doctor said he thought that considerable violence must have been used and that it was probably caused by a blunt instrument, or by swinging the child's head against the ground.

The doctor noted that the child had lived.

The inquest at Teignmouth on 4 March 1910 returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown.