September 1909 at the Britannia Inn, Cleadon, 19 year old Dorothy Harrison began her new job as a general maid. Mrs Ellison Dorothy's employer said that Dorothy looked unwell but she still had to carry out her duties, and she was also told to share a bedroom with her own 8 year old son. That night as the boy slept, silencing her screams and groans Dorothy gave birth, taking care not to waken the household during the early hours.
The next morning at 7.30 Dorothy was seen going to the pigsty with a blood stained bundle and returning empty handed. Other members of the household went in search of the bundle and found the body of a new born baby. When Mrs Ellison was told about this Dorothy's bed was searched and large blood stains were found, the police were then called who then took Dorothy to the infirmary were they confirmed she had recently given birth. It was also confirmed that the baby had not died from birth but had been suffocated with a handkerchief, which had been tightly jammed into it's mouth.
When charged with the wilful murder of her child Dorothy replied "I did not know what I was doing" The defence for Dorothy said that she was so afraid of being found out that she had tried to stop the sound of the baby crying by putting the handkerchief into it's mouth. Convicted for the concealment of the birth Dorothy was bound over to be of good behaviour.
