Great Bricett ONS stuff

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

DEATH OF A CHILD FROM BURNING. -On Monday an inquest was held at the Greyhound Inn, Offton, before W. B. Ross, Esq., Deputy Coroner, on the body of Sarah Ann Fayers, a child of three years. -Rebecca Fayers, a married woman, living at Bricett, said the deceased was the illegitimate child of her daughter Susan: but she had the charge of it, her daughter being at service. On Tuesday, the 15th February, she had occasion to go to the grocer's shop a little way off, and as she was returning heard screams. When she arrived at her house she saw the deceased in the yard with her clothes on fire. She took the child's clothes off, carried it into the house and put it to bed; it wore stuff clothes. She left the child with three of her own children, aged respectively seven, four, and two years. There was a fire burning in the grate in the lower room, and the door was left open. There was no guard to the fire. She told the children before she left to keep out in the yard till she returned; it was a beautiful, fine day. After she put the child to bed she applied linseed oil to the wounds, which were on the arms, neck, body, and throat. It seemed very quiet. She thought the child was going on all right and did not think it was worse. The following Monday she sent for Mr. Beck. She did not send for Mr. Beck because she thought the child was worse; but she was induced to send for him because she had heard of a child dying in the adjoining parish. Mr. Beck came the same day. She did not think the child was seriously hurt till last Wednesday; and it died on Friday afternoon at half-past one. She could not say what it died from. -Mr. H. Beck, surgeon, of Needham Market, said he saw the deceased on Monday week. He found the deceased much burnt, and administered remedies. It seemed as though the child might recover, but latterly a change came, and last Thursday night he saw that recovery was quite hopeless, for the child could take no nourishment and was sinking. He was sure that the child died from the effects of the burning, and even if he had been sent for earlier he did not think that would have made any difference. He considered that the child had been properly treated up to the time of his visit. -The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death. -The eldest of the three children of the witness Rebecca Fayers was called in, but was too young to give evidence. It seemed, however, from statements made by this child that deceased had gone into the house after the mother had left, and returned to the other children with her clothes on fire. -Mrs. Fayers was cautioned against again leaving her children alone with a fire; and the Jury expressed a strong opinion as to the great need of a more general use of fire-guards. The Suffolk Chronicle; or Weekly General Advertiser & County Express. 28 March 1868, Page 8, Columns 3-4

Notes:

The dates given in the above article don't match with an 1868 calendar. Another article states the accident happened on Tuesday 10th February. In 1868 - the 10th of February was a Monday; the 10th of March was a Tuesday.

It appears the accident actually occurred on Tuesday the 10th of March; the doctor was called for Monday 16 March; her condition worsened on Wednesday 18 March; her recovery was considered 'hopeless' on Thursday 19 March; Sarah Ann died Friday 20 March; and the inquest was held on Monday 23 March.