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Baby

Age: 0

Sex: female

Date: 17 Feb 1910

Place: River Crane, Verwood Bridge, Horton

The body of a newly-born female child was found in the River Crane about 100 yards down from Verwood Bridge, Horton.

The body was that of a new born female child and in all probability had been strangled before being thrown in. It was thought that it had been in the river for 7-10 days before it was found.

The body was found by a labourer who had been passing along a meadow adjoining the river. He had seen something white floating on top of the water and had called a woman who lived near at hand and together they reached out and turned it over and discovered that it was a baby. The woman exclaimed, 'Oh, its a baby'.

The woman pulled the baby out of the river and the police were called.

The river was moving swiftly and partially in flood and no foot prints were found by the bank where the body was found.

The child had been 8.5lbs and its tongue was swollen and protruding between swollen and congested lips. The lungs were well developed and thoroughly expanded with air, and there was every appearance that the child had breathed and cried freely.

The stomach was empty showing that no food had been given. The absence of water in the stomach and lungs etc indicated that the child had been strangled before being thrown into the river.

The neck above the clavicles was discoloured and the tissues engaged with blood showing possible strangulation by pressure. The skin above the outer ankle showed signs of the legs having been tied or held together and the left outer knee was bruised.

The coroner said he was in no doubt that the child had been dropped over the bridge.

It was thought that the child had been born within a quarter of a mile although it could have been thrown in from the last train at night, although it was thought that someone might have taken it to the bridge in a cart. It was noted that the bridge was a long way from any town or village.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Western Gazette - Friday 04 March 1910

see Western Gazette - Friday 25 February 1910