Skegness Magazine

Mystery of Child’s Birth

Dead Baby in Suitcase – CORONER CLOSES PUBLIC INQUIRY

The first inquest of its kind was held at the Sessions House, Skegness, on Wednesday last, when the coroner for the Spilsby District, Dr. F. J. Walker, sitting without a jury, conducted an Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the finding of the dead body of a newly-born infant, the mother of which was Edith Randall, a vegetable cook at the Casino.
Martha Temple, cook, said Randall worked with her until August 27th. About 5.30 p.m. that day Randall went upstairs to the bathroom. As she had, not returned some time later witness went up, but found the door locked. She called out and asked Randall if she was all right and she replied, “Yes. I shall be down again soon.” As she did not return witness went up again and found the girl was still in the bathroom. However, she came out in a few minutes and called out that she was ill. Witness advised her to go to bed and later saw her come from the bathroom with a bundle, which she took into her bedroom and placed in a suitcase on the bed. She told witness it was a bundle of dirty clothes.

DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE
Dr. Douglas Fraser. Menzies said he found the girl in bed at 6.45. She said she did not want a doctor and was all right. In conversation the girl denied having given birth to a child.

On examining the suitcase at the foot of the bed witness found it contained the body of a child wrapped in paper.The girl then made an admission and commenced to cry.

Witness conducted a post-mortem examination that day and found the child died from inattention at birth. He was of the opinion, however, that the child had never breathed, and would not like to say that the child had a separate existence. There was not sufficient proof to say that the child was born alive.
The Coroner said there was not sufficient evidence to show that the child was born alive, therefore, the Inquiry must close.

Research source: Skegness News September 1930

Notes: The Casino was on North Parade, Skegness.