South Yorkshire Times, Saturday, September 24th, 1960
“Found Drowned” Verdict on Mexboro’ Boy
A verdict of “Found drownei with no evidence to show how he came to be drowned was recorded by the Doncaster District Coroner, Mr W. H. Carlile at a Mexborough inquest on Wednesday on 9 years old Stephen Venables, of 56 Clayfield Road, Mexborough whose body was recovered from the canal near the Toll Bar, Mexborough, by police frogmen on Sunday.
The boy’s father, David Venables said that Stephen left home at 6 p.m. on Friday to go to the Red Rose football ground, where his elder brother was playing.
When he failed to return home with the other children a search was made by neighbours.
No trace of Stephen could be, found and his disappearance was reported to the police. The search then continued until Sunday.
Howard Arthur Fox (10) of 9, Hewitt Street, Mexborough, said Stephen found a frog while he was at the football match and he was playing with it. Witness gave Stephen a matchbox he had found.
Howard said that Stephen was still watching the football match when he (witness) left to go home.
P.C. Cyril Dilcock of Mexborough said that before Stephen’s body was found, a dead frog was found on the towpath. A match box containing one match was found in Stephen’s clothing.
Dr. Keith Finney, Pathological Registrar at Mexborough Montagu Hospital, said cause of death was “asphyxia due to drowning.”
Dozens of neighbours took part, with police and special constables, in the search for Stephen.
They scoured the surrounding countryside and stopped ‘buses, showing passengers the boy’s photograph.