From the Kent Herald, 29 November 1827.

Inhumane Murder on Blackheath.

Monday evening, at 5 o'clock, a respectable jury were empanelled before Mr. Carttar, the Coroner, at the "George and Dragon," at a place called Sot's-hole, on Blackheath, to inquire into the death of a fine boy, named Henry Dale, age four and a half years, who was murdered by his mother, Elizabeth Dale, under circumstances revolting to human nature.

The wretched woman threw her child into a pond, where it was found drowned in the morning by a Pensioner - the pond was frozen over except where the body was lying, and it's left hand was sticking out of the ice, about six feet from the edge of the pond.

The jury, returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder against Elizabeth Dale," the mother, and she was committed on the Coroner's Warrant to take her trial at the next Maidstone Assizes.