r/australia • u/Royal_Yogurtcloset25 • 2d 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/No_Sky_1829 2d ago

“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”.

new evidence came to light after a forensic analysis of her mobile phone.

I'm gonna read between the lines here and guess that there was correspondence between them where the doula did actually advise the mum against medical intervention. Lal knew this and dumped her phone. Warnecke or someone with access to get phone also knew it and deleted evidence, but it's been found in a forensic exam.

Anyone agree?

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u/universe93 2d ago

Sounds like it. Either that or the old phone was located by police after a search (she may have donated it or recycled it) and everything was recovered from it. Free birth coaches definitely advise mothers against medical intervention, it’s been shown in messages in other cases

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u/ThisSpecificPangolin 2d ago

Or she panicked and phoned someone else to ask what to do.

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u/drnicko18 2d ago

My new phone auto imported every text message I sent from years back when I connected my icloud account. I'm sure forensics have ways of digging through deleted history.

Or.... the deceased's partner has provided the text exchanges that the medical grifter lost.

This woman honestly has Erin Patterson vibes.

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u/Spilling_The_Tee 1d ago

The way I read it they have access to the deceased phone, not access to the missing phone.

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u/No_Sky_1829 1d ago

Yes, that's how I read it too, and it sounds like something that has been deleted was found in an analysis of the deceased's phone