CHILD’S SAD END

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10313, 24 January 1927, Page 5

CHILD’S SAD END

DROWNED WHILE BROTHER WAS SWIMMING.

THE INQUEST. The sad fate of four-year-old Desmond James McCabe, who was drowned in a stream at Muriwai, a couple of chains from where his elder brother and another lad were swimming on Wednesday last, was investigated by the Coroner (Mr. E. C. Lewey, S.M.) on Saturday. The child’s father, Joseph McCabe, a farm laborer living on Mr. R. K. Murphy’s station at Muriwai, stated that the boy left home about 1 p.m. to paddle in the stream running through the property, in company with his brother and a companion. Later when the two older lads returned to the house he asked them where the child was, and they said they Understood the boy had gone home. Failing to find the lad witness searched the river, and later Mr Gregory saw the body caught on a snag... Albert Pevreal, aged twelve, stated that he and the elder boy McCabe went to swim in the stream and while they were bathing the child came and stood on the bank watching them. A little later the child disappeared and, thinking he had gone home, they did not worry'. After mushing their swim they went to look for the boy, witness and McCabe going down the road to witness’ home a mile away but they could find no trace of him. Gordon Gregory, shepherd on the A station, stated that he assisted in the T" search lor the missing child whom he noticed caught on a snag a couple of chains from the point where the other boys had been swimming. The body was brought ashore, and Miss Allen and witness endeavored to revive the child by artificial respiration, but their efforts were unavailing. Dr. Williams arrived on the scene later and pronounced life extinct. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to accidental drowning, but that there was no evidence to show how the child got. into the water.