Baby

The body of a newly born child was discovered lying near a hedge by the road leading from Bury St Edmunds to Westly.

The body, which was wrapped up in brown paper, was found by two men out walking their dog.

It was found not far from the barracks of the Suffolk Regiment.

They found it after they saw their dog disturbing something wrapped up in brown paper an on closer inspection they found that it contained the body of the infant.

A doctor that examined the body said that there was a contusion over the frontal bone, extending to the right parietal bone and that there was a depression over the left parietal bone. He said that the right eye was red, swollen and protruding and that there was other swelling and bruising of the eye.

He said that there were no signs of decomposition and that when he removed the scalp he found a quantity of blood between the scalp and the cranium. He said there was a fracture of the frontal bone, situate midway between the bridge of the nose and the frontal anterior, and that it extended right across the bone and on the right side of the roof of the right orbit. He added that there was also a fracture of the right parietal bone, extending from above downwards and a communicated fracture of the left parietal bone, it being broken into several pieces. 

In conclusion, he said that his findings showed that considerable violence had been used and that he didn't think that the injuries could have been caused naturally. He said that under certain circumstances that some of the appearances could have been caused accidentally, but not such an extensive fracture.

He added that he thought that the child had lived a very short time, probably less than a few hours and that he thought it had received more than one blow, at least two.

After hearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.