Baby in the Garden

The discovery of a baby in the garden of a house in Redan in August 1881, was a tragic case of infanticide.

The case
Redan policeman, Constable Michael Doyle was called to a house in Cobden Street (now Bell Street), after the residents found a dead baby in the front garden: INFANTICIDE. An enquiry was held on Saturday last, at the Redan Police Station, by the district coroner, Mr J. C. Thomson, P.M., on a male infant, the remains of which bad been found on Thursday, the 18th inst, by two lads named William Connolly and Thomas O'Leary, at Redan, in the front garden of a cabman named Connolly. Sub-inspector Kennedy attended to watch the case on behalf of the Crown.

The following evidence was taken:- Mary Connolly, being sworn, stated—l am the wife of James Connolly, cab proprietor Cobden street, Redan, in Ballarat. I was in my garden about 7 p.m, of the 17th inst., and I am sure there was no bundle or parcel lying in it. It is a very small place, and I was over every part of it after my children. I heard no unusual noise during the night. It rained during the night. My son James went out of the back door of my house at 7 am. I went out myself by the front about 10 am., and I saw a parcel consisting of a canvas sugar-bag and a piece of woollen selvage binding it together. I did not go to it until about half past 11 am. I then passed it, but did not lift it or touch it. About 1.30 p.m. on the same day (the 18th) my son William, and Thomas and William told me there was a baby in the bag in the garden. I then went to look and saw a baby in the bag; it was wrapped loosely in a piece of check shirting (produced). I then sent for Constable Doyle, who came to my house in about a quarter of an hour, and he took the baby and the wrappings away. I have no knowledge of how the baby was brought to the garden. The soil was soft where the child was lying. Constable Doyle took the child away from the spot where l saw the bundle first.

William Connolly stated — l am the son of the last witness. On Thursday, the 18th instant, I was at home all the morning. About dinner time I went out of the house by the back door, and went into Cobden street, where I met Thomas O'Leary, who came to me opposite our house and called out, “William, what’s in the bag ?” He was standing outside our garden fence. I looked and saw the bag and told him I did not know. The bag was lying inside the fence (close to it), on the ground. I then went inside and passed the bag to O'Leary over the fence. We opened it together, and I saw the back of a baby's head. I then put it near where I saw it first, and told my mother. I put it gently on the ground. I went for Constable Doyle, who took the bundle away. The selvage produced was wrapped around the bundle. I saw O'Leary, coming up to the fence before he came up to where the baby was. The fence is about up to my waistband, and is made of open palings. l am twelve years old.

Michael Doyle, constable, in charge of the Redan police station, stated—On Thursday last, the 18th instant, the last witness {Wm. Connolly) came to the police station, Redan, and reported that he had found a baby in his father’s garden. He came to me about 2 p.m. I went with him to Cobden street to his father’s residence, about 100 yards from the station. I found the bag produced lying in the front garden, about four feet from the fence. The selvage produced was lying close by it. On opening the bag I saw a dead baby in it, which was wrapped in the piece of cotton shirting produced. It was lying with its face downwards. I removed it shortly afterwards to the Redan police station, where it was examined by Dr Bunce on the 19th inst. The fence in Connolly’s garden is about 3 feet high and of open paling. The bag and the shirting were quite dry. It rained during the night of the 17th heavily. There were no signs of the bag haying been wetted during the previous night.

Dr Bunce deposed to having made a post-mortem examination of the body of a male infant at the Redan police station on the 19th inst. There were no marks of external violence with the exception of on the right side of the forehead, head, and face presenting a remarkably flattened appearance. The infant had arrived at maturity, and was well-nourished, and did not present any sign of decomposition as far as discoloration of the integuments or offensive smell, although from appearances it had been dead for ten days. There was a fracture of the right parietal bone, extending through its entire breadth, and passing obliquely downwards from behind forwards and beneath this fracture there was about half an ounce of semi-fluid blood. The doctor also gave evidence to the effect that the internal organs of the body were healthy. He proceeded to say, “ The child was no doubt born alive, and the fracture produced during life. I express this latter opinion from the fact of so much blood having been effused at the seat of the fracture. I am of opinion that death was caused by effusion of blood on the brain, resulting from fracture of the right parietal bone." Mr Thomson, P.M,, gave it as his opinion that on or about the 8th August the said child died from effusion of blood on the brain, the result of fracture of the right parietal bone.

Research is yet to discover whether the baby was ever identified.