Taunton Courier 16 Jan 1895 Taunton A Horrible Death Child of Mrs LITTLEJOHNS of Victoria Place High Street

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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 16 Jan 1895

Page 4 Column 6

TAUNTON.

A HORRIBLE DEATH. - Another case has occurred in Taunton which should impress upon parents the necessity of always keeping a watchful eye on young children. The facts in this case are of a distressing character. On Friday, January 4th, Mrs. LITTLEJOHNS, Victoria-place, left two or three of her children at play before the fire while she went out. Shortly afterwards she heard screams, and on coming in found one of the children, aged four, a little girl, in flames. The child's clothing was removed as quickly as possible, but not before such(?) injuries were inflicted as to cause the child's death. - The inquest was held at the Hospital on Saturday afternoon by Mr. Foster BARHAM. Mr. CLARKE was chosen foreman of the jury, and P.C. WOOD had charge of the inquest. - The first witness called was Elizabeth LITTLEJOHNS, the mother of the deceased, who stated that her husband was a brewer's labourer, and that they resided in Victoria-place, High-street. The deceased was nearly five years old. On the evening of the 4th January witness left the deceased with her two little sisters on the hearthrug at play whilst she went to speak to a neighbour. Hearing a scream soon afterwards she ran back, and was horrified to see the child running about with its clothes in flames. Some neighbours ran in, and with their help she extinguished the flames, and the deceased was taken to the Hospital. Before dying deceased said the other children pushed her in, but this the others denied. The deceased stood on the fender to reach something on the mantlepiece, and fell in the fire. The grate was an open one. There was no-one else in the house at the time, except the children. - Mr. BAIN, house-surgeon at the Hospital, stated that deceased was brought to the Hospital on the 4th inst. suffering from severe burns, from which she died on the 11th inst. - The jury returned a verdict “That the child died from burns caused by misadventure.”

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<NOTES: Elizabeth LITTLEJOHNS is Elizabeth Ann MADDICKS, married Joseph LITTLEJOHNS
Husband is Joseph LITTLEJOHNS son of William LITTLEJOHNS and Jane TREBY, married Elizabeth Ann MADDICKS

Child is Hilda Mary LITTLEJOHNS daughter of Joseph LITTLEJOHNS and Elizabeth Ann MADDICKS>