Baby

The body of a newly born child was found under a hedge in Mill Lane in Cadley on 27 May 1935.

It was in a carrier bag.

The body was found by a woman who had lived in Cintra Avenue. She said that she had been walking along Mill Lane with her Airedale dog and had been passing the allotments when her dog had attracted her to the bundle under the hedge. She said that when she looked inside she discovered the body of the child and went to inform the police.

The doctor that carried out the post-mortem stated that there were numerous burns on its body and that a portion of its skull was missing due to the burning. The policeman that was called out said that the child's head, right arm and right thigh were extensively burnt, indicating that a possible attempt had been made to dispose of it by burning.

He said that in his opinion, the child had had a separate existence and had died a few hours after it was born. He added that he could not say whether the child had been alive or dead when it was burned or what the cause of death was.

The police said that they had made numerous inquiries at maternity homes, hospitals and clinics and had also been to see doctors and midwives but had been unable to discover who the mother of the child had been. They also noted that other police forces throughout the country had also made similar inquiries without avail.

An open verdict was returned.