Crown Court: Yesterday: Before Mr. Baron Bramwell: … Mary Ann Parkyn: a not very pleasant looking middle-aged woman (on bail) was charged with the manslaughter of Wm. Hy. Clampitt, aged fifteen weeks, at Bovey Tracey, on the 21st Dec. Mr. Clark and Mrs. St. Aubyn appeared for the prosecution, prisoner was undefended … … (description of events) … A few days before the death, a neighbour of the prisoner’s named Cross, heard the child crying a long time, and at last she went into the house and expressed herself surprised that they didn’t do something to stop the crying. After seeing the child, she told the prisoner that she believed she had kept it short of food and ought to be ashamed of herself, after which prisoner said she had had no money from the mother for a fortnight; she (prisoner) shouldn’t keep it much longer, and she didn’t care what became of it or where it went. A Mrs. Pinsent said she went in and saw the child, and she had never seen one in such a dreadful state before. Dr. Haydon said he saw the child just before it died, and after death made a post-mortem examination. He found no trace of disease, but the body was dreadfully emaciated, the face and bowels shrunk and there was an entire absence of fat… The jury found her guilt. … Sentenced to eighteen months hard labour.
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Referenced
[GRO0511 Bristol] (?)