1409929
Investigation into the
Death of Azaria
Chamberlain
- Disappearance of Azaria
Chamberlain 17 August 1980
- Did the Dingo take Azaria
- Dingos were seen in the area
- Inspector Gilroy confirmed
previous Dingo attacks, John
Lincoln disputed the ability
of a dog lugging a ten pound
baby over hundreds of yards
(Linder 2012)
- First Inquest concluded on 20
February 1981 that the dingo took
and killed Azaria
- Dingos were seen in the area
- Did Lindy Chamberlain kill Azaria?
- Was Michael Chamberlain an accessory to the murder
- Did the Dingo take Azaria
- Michael and Lindy Chamberlain married 18/11/1969
- Children
- Aidan Born 1973
- Reagan Born 1976
- Azaria Chamberlain
- Kahlia Chamberlain Born 1982
- Aidan Born 1973
- Seventh Day Adventists
- Michael Chamberlain was a pastor
- Rumour that Azaria had been
sacrificed for the sins of the Church
- Little known of the religion in 1980
- Michael Chamberlain was a pastor
- Children
- Trip to Ayres Rock 16 August 1980
- 17 August 1980
- Dingos sighted at Fertility
Caves - Police interview,
Charlwood (1980)
- Chamberlains meet other campers at BBQ area
- Dingos sighted at campsite by
other campers, Chamberlain v R
(No 2) ("Chamberlain Case" [1984]
HCA 7 (1984) 153 CLR 521
- Lindy puts Azaria to bed
- Gets baked Beans from Car for Aidan
- Heads back to campsite
- A number of people comment that they
hear a baby cry
- Lindy runs back to the tent and sees a
Dingo with something in its mouth, cries,
'My God, My God, a dingo has got my
baby' (Morris 2012)
- Lindy runs back to the tent and sees a
Dingo with something in its mouth, cries,
'My God, My God, a dingo has got my
baby' (Morris 2012)
- A number of people comment that they
hear a baby cry
- Heads back to campsite
- Gets baked Beans from Car for Aidan
- Dingos sighted at Fertility
Caves - Police interview,
Charlwood (1980)
- 17 August 1980
- First Inquest commenced
by Dennis Barritt on 15 December 1980
- Concluded that Dingo took
and killed Azaria
Chamberlain Lowndes 1995)
- Neither any
persons or family
members were
responsible for the
death.
- Coroner indicated that
a person or persons
had been involved in
the disappearance of
the body.
- Concluded that Dingo took
and killed Azaria
Chamberlain Lowndes 1995)
- Second Inquest began on 14 December 1981 by Coroner
Galvin, (Lowndes 1995)
- Blood found in car
- Expert witnesses confirm blood in car and most likely
that of Azaria
- Blood later found to be Dufix (Chamberlain Innocence
Committee 1985)
- Blood later found to be Dufix (Chamberlain Innocence
Committee 1985)
- Blood found on scissors
- Blood found in camera bag
- Handprint located on jump suit
- Blood on jump suit later identified as red dirt
- Blood on jump suit later identified as red dirt
- Handprint located on jump suit
- Blood found in camera bag
- Expert witnesses confirm blood in car and most likely
that of Azaria
- Roff, Chief ranger states clothing consistent with
normal dingo activity (Lowndes, 1995)
- Galvin dismissed arrangement of clothing as being consistent
with Dingo activity
- Galvin dismissed arrangement of clothing as being consistent
with Dingo activity
- Specialists provide evidence
that Dingo did not take or kill
Azaria
- Confirmed specialist, had no experience with dingo.
Galvin felt evidence not affected by lack of experience
with dingos.
- Confirmed specialist, had no experience with dingo.
Galvin felt evidence not affected by lack of experience
with dingos.
- Blood allegedly on tracksuit and shoes
- No evidence of blood on pants or shoes
- No evidence of blood on pants or shoes
- Galvin determined the death of Azaria
Chamberlain was homicide. Failed to complete
the inquest. Chamberlains went to trial
(Lowndes, 2012)
- Coroner did not record his findings or reconvene
according Section 37 of the Coroners Act (NT)
- Galvin commits Lindy to trial for murdering
Azaria. Michael charged with accessory after
the fact.
- Galvin commits Lindy to trial for murdering
Azaria. Michael charged with accessory after
the fact.
- Coroner did not record his findings or reconvene
according Section 37 of the Coroners Act (NT)
- Blood found in car
- Third Inquest 29/11/1995 Coroner Lowndes
- Lowndes stated 'almost every facet of its case is beset by
serious difficulties, (Lowndes 2012)
- Determined there was insufficient evidence and declared an
'open finding' stating the cause of death was unknown.
- Determined there was insufficient evidence and declared an
'open finding' stating the cause of death was unknown.
- Lowndes stated 'almost every facet of its case is beset by
serious difficulties, (Lowndes 2012)
- Fourth Inquest 24/02/12 Coroner Elizabeth Morris
- 12/06/12 Coroner Morris finds Azaria taken by a dingo.
- 12/06/12 Coroner Morris finds Azaria taken by a dingo.
- Investigation
- Report from Inspector Gilroy 30
August 1980 submitted to NT Police, (Gilroy 1980)
- Mrs Chamberlain advised
Hospital that baby was sick
- Allegedly advised staff at hospital
that she had cured same condition in
other children when she fell down a
hole whilst carrying them.
- Lindy Chamberlain did not appear to care for her baby
- She dressed the baby in black
- She did not act like a normal mother according
- The doctor had said that the name Azaria meant 'Sacrifice in the Wilderness'
- Chamberlains had been on This Day Tonight and commented that the blanket was
strong and difficult to cut.
- Inspector Gilroy believed that the cuts on the blanket were from a
sharp instrument not a dingo or dog.
- Mrs Chamberlain advised
Hospital that baby was sick
- Crime scene was not
preserved at the time of
the incident, Freeman n.d.
- Operation Ochre - Home raided and
searched 20/09/1981,
Chamberlain-Creigton
- Statements given to police and car
searched 1 & 2 October 1980, Chamberlain-Creighton
- Report from Inspector Gilroy 30
August 1980 submitted to NT Police, (Gilroy 1980)
- Trial by Media
- Journalist sceptical when they arrived in Ayres Rock
- Journalists influenced detectives, Bryson (2013)
- Information leaked to the media
- Melbourne Sun reported increased
print run by sixty thousand every time
item about Chamberlains appeared,
(Bryson 2013)
- Journalist sceptical when they arrived in Ayres Rock
- 20/11/1981 NT Supreme Court quashes
first inquest, orders new
one, Chamberlain-Creigton
- 13/09/1982 Trial Begins
- 29/10/1982 Lindy Chamberlain found
guilty of murder, Michael guilty of being
an accessory after the fact
- Daughter Kahlia born in custody
- Lowndes (2012) points out that a
criminal trial is to establish a person's
guilt beyond reasonable doubt, not to
determine their innocence.
- Lowndes (2012) points out that a
criminal trial is to establish a person's
guilt beyond reasonable doubt, not to
determine their innocence.
- Daughter Kahlia born in custody
- 29/10/1982 Lindy Chamberlain found
guilty of murder, Michael guilty of being
an accessory after the fact
- 2/01/1986 Matinee Jacket found
- 08/05/1986 Royal Commission conveyed by T R Morling
- Morling determined that experts were
overconfident and their opinions based on
unreliable or inadequate data, Morling (1987)
- 5/09/1988 Chamberlains declared innocent.
- 5/09/1988 Chamberlains declared innocent.
- Morling determined that experts were
overconfident and their opinions based on
unreliable or inadequate data, Morling (1987)
- 08/05/1986 Royal Commission conveyed by T R Morling
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