Cruelty to a Child at Workhouse
23 December 1875At the Rotherham Police Court yesterday, Mary Ann Bennett, an inmate of the Rotherham Workhouse, was brought up on a charge of doing grievous bodily harm to James Brannau, aged two and a half years, also an inmate of the workhouse.
On the 16th inst. the woman took the child out of bed in the hospital ward, where he had been ill for some days. For some little matter she became very angry with him, and beat him savagely. Then she went to another room and got a bucketful of scalding hot water. She took it into the apartment where the child was, and dipped him in it twice, the lower part of his legs being thereby literally boiled, and the skin hanging in shreds.
Dr. Hardwicke, the medical officer of the institution, who was called in to attend the infant, said that although he was now going on favourably, the child was not yet out of danger. He hoped the injury was not a permanent one.
The prisoner, who appears to be somewhat lacking in intellect, said she did not scald the child, as the water was cold into which she dipped him.
She was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions. The case has excited great indignation in the neighbourhood.
