Sheffield Independent – Wednesday 01 November 1899

Shocking Death of a Mexboro’ Child.

Mr. Wightman, Coroner, held an inquest yesterday, at Mexboro’, on the body of a child, aged four years, named Harriet Dunhill.

Hibbert Dunhill, labourer, living in Leach row, father of the deceased, said the child was burnt on the previous Friday. When he returned from work he found her at the Hospital, dead. The child had been left in the care of Mrs. Charlotte Dolphin, who, with her husband, lodged with him.

Charlotte, wife of Joshua Thomas Dolphin, moulder, said the child was, burnt while she went out to buy some soda. The child was left in the house alone for about ten minutes. When witness returned she found the child in the house of a neighbour badly burnt. — Witness, in answer to a juryman, said she had never left the child in the house for two or three hours.

Elizabeth Worrall, a neighbour, said she heard the child crying. A quarter of an hour afterwards, while the little one was screaming she went into the house and found it enveloped in smoke and burning. The clothes dropped off the child, as well as the skin. The little one could not speak. It whined like a dog. Her son took it to the Hospital wrapped in a blanket.

A Juryman: Has the woman been in the habit of leaving the child? — Yes, for hours together.

The Sergeant: At one time for hours?— Yes.

The Coroner:Alone?— Yes, and I have gone in to let the child out.

A Juryman: Has she ill-treated the child?— No, and it has had plenty to eat and drink.

Have you heard it cry? — Yes, many a time

The Sergeant: Was the woman sober at the time?—It would be difficult to say. She is in the habit of taking drink. She is seldom sober.

The Sergeant: I should think that is true.

The Coroner said the best census he could give in such a case was to refuse to pay any money to the witness. — A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.