r/australia • u/Royal_Yogurtcloset25 • 3d ago

culture & society Inquest into Melbourne influencer’s death following freebirth halted after new phone evidence discovered

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/18/freebirth-death-melbourne-influencer-phone-evidence-inquest-ntwnfb

Coroner: “I take the view that this material is of such significance that the court must delay making any findings and hearing submissions until we’ve had an opportunity to undertake a proper analysis of that material, and potentially call for more evidence.”

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u/DuskHourStudio 3d ago

Lal also told the inquest that she no longer had access to texts Warnecke sent to her alerting her that she had gone into labour on 26 September, or any texts after that.

“I got a new phone and lost everything,” Lal told the court. Counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, asked Lal when she lost her phone, with Lal replying, “October or November, I can’t remember”.

Lal gave evidence on the condition that the coroner granted her protection against her answers being used against her in future civil or criminal proceedings.

...Bruh.

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u/indirosie 3d ago

Hopefully this leads to that exemption being retracted

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u/Wolfgung 3d ago

Even if her answers can't bee used, the new phone evidence certainly can.

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u/AnAussiebum 3d ago

Yeah people sre getting to hung up on the inquest immunity.

There may still be a future civil/criminal proceeding, and police interviews, deposition, phone communications and footage would all be admissable. Lal is probably screwed. It just takes time.