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Story: Childhood

Child manslaughter

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Child manslaughter

In 1902 Ōtaki girl Dorothy Drake (aged 8) died after her mother beat her severely with a whip. During her trial for manslaughter, Mrs Drake said she beat Dorothy to correct her behaviour and that the force used was reasonable. This defence was not accepted. She was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in jail with hard labour.

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National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past

Reference: Bush Advocate, 30 June 1902, p. 2

Permission of the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Childhood – Child discipline and justice, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/26284/child-manslaughter (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 22 March 2011.