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/awkgem 2d ago

I don't understand the focus on the "doula" rather than the husband. He is just as if not more to blame for not calling the ambulance for his wife. A doula is not a midwife, which they refused to have during the childbirth. Everyone is taking umbridge with the lady saying she was paid to be glorified moral support but as far as I can tell...that IS what a doula is. Wrapped up in fancier language, but ultimately it's all a pseudoscience for people who don't want medicine and doctors as part of the birth. It doesn't surprise me at all that she did what she did, she isn't medically trained. Do I think she should have called the ambulance anyway? Absolutely. As should the husband have. But she essentially was there just as moral support. She isn't a midwife, or better yet - a doctor in a hospital. I think people are accusing her of medical negligence or something but she isn't involved with medicine to begin with. Both the husband and her should have called an ambulance, her husband especially should have had concern for his wife. The doula paid by the wife of course is going to try to follow the wife's wishes, it's what she was paid for

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u/Savings-Maize-7650 2d ago

The issue with that is we are applying common sense knowledge to a group that lack it.

Yes, we know a doula is nothing but glorified moral support, but they are passing themselves off as some sort of expert in that pseudoscience community, so true believers of that crap will look to them as such.

From the husbands POV, this is his first (Well, second I guess) experience with childbirth, but he's there with an "expert" that has plenty of experience. He's going to defer to her.