Evening star., 1949-11-07
Mother Admits Baby
Was Killed in Fall,
Kidnap Story False
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

UTICA, N. Y, Nov. IA re-
morse-stricken mother has con-
fessed that her six-week-old som
was killed in a fall from her arms
and that her story of kidnapping
was made up" out of fear Of
what her husband would say.
Il dropped my baby" Mrs.
Stella Komorek blurted out at al
coroner's inquest last night.
The sobbing admission from the
plump, 29-year-old mill workers
wife came II hours after the
body of her son Stephen was
found In a millpond 500 yards
from the modest Komorek home
in nearby Clayville.
Coroner Preston r. Clark gave
. verdict Of accidental death.
Authorities said no charge would
be placed against Mrs. Komorek.
Broke Down at Inquest.
During hours Of steady ques-
tioning by State police yesterday
she had clung to her story that
the infant was snatched from its
bassinet in the kitchen late Fri
day night by strange man.
But under oath at the coroner's|
inquest she broke almost at once.
Nov, Stella. tell us what hap
pened," DR.. Clark said to her.
'I dropped my baby" Mrs.
Komorek blurted out. He
wiggled right out of my arms. II
was feeding him. He fell on his
head. His eyes rolled back and he
wasn't breathing" |
II was afraid of what Henry
cher husband would say" she
continued.
State police, noting the absence
Of a ransom demand or other kid
nap motive, privately had ex-
pressed doubt Of Mrs. Komorek's
story since she reported the child,
her baby. kidnapped Friday night |
Child's Skull Fractured.
Nevertheless, they issued q 13-
State alarm.
The infants body. wrapped in a
burlap bag, was found half-sub-
merged in the snow-fringed pond
by State trooper. not assigned to
the case but "just having a look
around"
An autopsy established that the
child's skull was fractured and
that he did not die OF drowning.
During the inquest, Mrs. Komo-
rex and her husband, an ex-
Marine who works as q machine
tender in a paper mill, sobbed un-
controllably.
Mr.. Komorek, "a, sought re-
peatedly to comfort his wife and
placed his arm around her as they
left afterward for home with their
lawyer.
Pressed at the inquest for de-
tails Of the baby's death, Mrs.
Komorek was at times vague.
Wrapped Body in Blankets.
She could not recall at first the
exact hour it happened but. after
persistent questioning, she placed
the time at about 10 o'clock"
Friday night.
II picked him up quickly" she
related. Il thought he was dead
and I put him on the kitchen
table"
Mrs. Komorek said she then got
. burlap bag from the basement,
wrapped the body In two blankets,
and tore a strip of one to tie the
top Of the covering bag.
Then I took him down by the
pond" she said.
She denied, however, that she
had placed the body in the water.
II left him on the bank" she
said.
Asked by the coroner If she
knew where her sons body was
found, Mrs. Komorek cried out:
mo, no, I don't know"
She related that her husband
was extremely fond Of the baby.
Their only other child. a 7-year-
old boy, was struck and killed by
an automobile four years ago.
WAS that why you were afraid
to tell him?" the coroner asked.
Eyes. yes" she replied, breaking
down once again.
Minutes later. the coroner closed
the inquest, stating:
That's all, close it (the case)
up. Accidental DEATH"
Pakistan's first oil well, at Ba-
lakassar, was reported flowing at
the rate Of 112 barrels in "a hours,
after oil had been struck at 8,214