Boy who died at orphanage was not killed by nun assault

A child who died after spending time at a notorious orphanage succumbed to the effects of an E.coli infection not injuries inflicted by a nun, an inquiry has heard.

Sammy Carr was six years old when he died of a brain haemorrhage in 1964 after being taken to hospital from Smyllum Park in Lanark.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry heard from pathologist Professor Anthony Busuttil who said there was “no doubt” the cause of the haemorrhage was not a head trauma.

The inquiry has previously heard evidence that Sammy was punched and kicked by a nun shortly before being taken to hospital. Professor Busuttil, who led the pathology inquiries into the Lockerbie bombing and the Dunblane massacre, said the child had died after contracting E.coli, possibly after playing with a dead rat.

But he said Sammy’s malnourishment would have made it harder for his body to fight the infection, and said the alleged beating may have been the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.

Prof Busuttil had been asked by the inquiry to study the post-mortem examination carried out in June 1964.

He said Sammy’s weight showed he was a child who was “not developing normally” making it likely he would have had a “depleted” immune system.

Prof Busuttil said an E.coli

0 There were 283 deaths at Smyllum Park from 1864 to 1961 infection could cause the kidneys to fail, leading to a rise in blood pressure affecting the brain, possibly leading to haemorrhages.

“It appears to be the most likely series of events which fits the bill,” Prof Busuttil said.

Asked by Colin Macaulay QC, senior counsel to the inquiry, if previous evidence about Sammy using a stick to play with a dead rat could be relevant, Prof Busuttil agreed.

He said that based on the medical evidence available, the trauma from the alleged assault did not have a direct or indirect cause in the child’s death.

But when asked by Lady Smith, chair of the inquiry, about the impact an assault may have had on the boy’s immune system, he said it could have been the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” making it more likely the body would not recuperate.

The inquiry heard how police concluded there was “no causal link” between Sammy’s death and an assault when they reviewed the case in 2015.

Abbcandsundaypostinvestigation earlier this year stated that at least 400 children from Smyllum Park were thought to be buried in an unmarked grave at St Mary’s Cemetery, Lanark.

Genealogist Janet Bishop, 62, told the inquiry how her analysis of around 15,000 records produced 412 entries in her report in relation to deaths connected with Smyllum.

Mrs Bishop then told how she inspected the records of St Mary’s parish church in Lanark and found records of just 16 burials in the cemetery for children who had been resident at Smyllum from 1900 to 1981.

Asked about the others who died, she said: “The other children could be buried anywhere.”

Dr Thomas Turner who was tasked with reviewing the causes of death of children associated with Smyllum, concluded that there were 283 deaths from 1864 to 1961.

The inquiry was adjourned until 9 January.