Evening star., 1953-10-06
State Confirms
Asphyxiia in
Death
County Joins Probe
On Mysterious
StrungIing Of Boy, a

StrungIIng OF Boy, a
A spokesman from the Mary
land medical examiners Office
said today that 4-year-old Jo-
seph Kelly died as a result Of
asphyxia due to vomiting, but
added:
"The reason for the vomiting
is another question"
The State report corroborates
an earlier finding by the Mont-
gomery County medical exam
liner.
The boy was wheeled in q
stroller into Washington Sani-
tarium Saturday night several
hours after his death, Takoma
Park police reported.
The son of Mrs. Nancy Kelly
of 1907 Twelfth street NV, he
was brought into the hospital
by Mrs. Lois Sparks, who oper-
ates a day nursery at 7505 Car
roll avenue, Takoma Park.
Examination Continues.
The Baltimore pathologist,
who declined to be identified,
said the examination there was
not complete. He said micro
scopic examination for diseases
that could have caused nausea
were being run and would take
several days for completion.
If the bruises and the result
ing conclusion caused the
nausea, he said, the reason for
the bruises must be determined
by police investigation. Although
the medical examiners can de-
termine whether the vomiting
was caused by organic disturb
ances, the spokesman said they
could not determine whether the
bruises directly or any shock
which might have followed were
at fault.
Called Mysterious"
Meanwhile Montg merry
County Detective Sergt William
Whalen assigned Detective Sergt.
Kenneth Watkins and Detective
Ronald Loomis to investigate the
death, which police earlier de-
scribed as occurring under mys-
terious circumstances"
The Montgomery County
Council today asked County
Manager E. T. Beall to report to
it on the number of nurseries
and day care centers operating
in the county and TO study pos
sible legislation requiring licens-
ing. A report is expected next
Tuesday.
Reaction Is Prompt.
Reaction to the death report
yesterday was prompt among
State and county agencies and
brought these major develop
mentS:
1. States Attorney Walter w.
Dawson said a Montgomery
County grand jury probably
would be given evidence in the
case.
2. Maryland State Welfare
Director Thomas j. S. Waxter
made a hurried inspection of the
home, found it to be "immacu-
late" but said it was being op-
Grated as a nursery without a
license in violation of State reg
ulationS.
3. County Councilwoman Mrs.
Stella B. Werner said she wanted
a report from A. Morton Thomas.
jr., county director of inspection
and licenses, on the Sparks home
and on the number of unregu-
lated nurseries and day-care CEN
ters operating in the county.
AsphyxiatiOn Death.
DR.. Frank ]. BroSchart, county
medical examiner, early Sunday
issued a preliminary death cer-
tif1cate that also said the child
died from aSphyxia. He said the
child had vomited and was
bruised.
The medical examiner said he
would withhold a final certifi-
cate until further examination
of specimens are made by the
State Department of Health.
Mrs. Sparks did not have q
license to operate as an institu-
ton, Mr.. Waxter said. He added
he had informed her how to ap-
ply and planned to submit a re-
port to the States attorney en-
phasizing she was operating in
violation of State regulations.
Girl Died in April.
Last April IL, another child.
Beverly Ann Hall, 4, daughter Of
Mrs. Mary Ann Rakes. was
rushed from the Sparks home to
Children's Hospital where she
died two hours later of pneumo-
MIA and a heart ailment, District
police records show. At that
time, Takoma Park police filed a
report on the home with the
county inspections chief.
Mrs. Sparks asked a Star re-
porter into her nursery today to
look around, but said she could
not comment on the death. be-
cause the little victims mother
asked her not to discuss it, and
she promised she wouldn't.
Mrs. Sparks added that she
does not have an attorney to
speak for her.