Into the most infamous and intensely debated legal saga in Australia’s history, a fourth inquest has been launched surrounding the 1980 demise of a baby just nine weeks old, whose parents assert that a dingo took her from their tent in the Outback.
Lindy Chamberlain, Azaria’s mother, was initially convicted of her murder, only to later be exonerated, consistently claiming that a wild dog was responsible for her daughter’s disappearance.
Hoping to put an end to the incessant speculation that has plagued them for over three decades, she and her former spouse, Michael Chamberlain, are presenting newly gathered evidence regarding dingo attacks on children to Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Morris.
On Azaria’s death certificate, her cause of death is still marked as ‘unknown’, a situation that perpetuates doubts about her parents’ involvement in the tragedy.
Anne Lade, a former police officer engaged by the court to delve into the case, informed a crowded courtroom that multiple dingo attacks on humans have occurred during the years following Azaria’s disappearance, with some resulting in fatalities.
A lawyer supporting the coroner, Rex Wild, recounted several of these attacks and expressed his belief that the evidence could suggest a dingo was the cause of Azaria’s death.
He commented: ‘Though the scenario of a dingo killing a child may have seemed improbable in 1980 … it should not be considered unlikely by 2011-12.’
The Chamberlains assert their desire to clarify the circumstances surrounding their daughter’s death.
Outside the courthouse in Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory, Mrs. Chamberlain remarked, ‘This time gives me hope that Australians will finally be alerted and come to realize that dingoes are indeed dangerous animals.’
‘I also hope this leads to a conclusive finding that officially closes the inquest into my daughter’s death, which has remained unresolved and open until now.’
On August 17, 1980, Azaria disappeared from her tent in the Outback while the family was vacationing at Ayers Rock, a massive red monolith now referred to by its Aboriginal name, Uluru.
Campers nearby reported to police that they heard a low growl followed by a cry of a baby moments before Mrs. Chamberlain, who had been preparing dinner at a nearby barbecue area, went to check on her daughter.
She recounted seeing a dingo sprint away from the tent and vanish into the night.
Outside the tent, dingo footprints were visible, and there were blood spots found on the bedding inside.
When Lindy saw Azaria’s empty bassinet, she famously screamed, ‘The dingo’s got my baby!’ – a phrase later immortalized by Meryl Streep’s performance in the film, A Cry in the Dark, which tells the story of the events.
Although Azaria’s body was never discovered, her torn and bloodied jumpsuit was eventually located in the surrounding desert.
Skeptical about the possibility of a dingo being able to carry away a baby, authorities charged Mrs. Chamberlain with murder.
According to prosecutors, she had slashed Azaria’s throat inside the family car—initial forensic examinations indicated it was stained with the baby’s blood—and then buried her in the desert. Consequently, Mrs. Chamberlain faced conviction and received a life imprisonment sentence.
Years later, advanced testing revealed that the alleged ‘blood’ in the car was actually a mixture of milk and a chemical used in its manufacturing.
Three …Years into Mrs. Chamberlain’s prison sentence, a jacket that Azaria had been wearing was serendipitously discovered near a dingo den. This led to Mrs. Chamberlain’s release from prison and the overturning of her conviction.
Despite this, three distinct coroner’s inquests have not reached a unanimous conclusion regarding Azaria’s cause of death. The most recent inquest, conducted in 1995, yielded an inconclusive result, as the coroner stated that the evidence was insufficient to establish that a dingo was to blame.
In the time since, the Chamberlains have collected new evidence indicating around a dozen dingo attacks on children, with three of those incidents resulting in fatalities, as stated by their lawyer, Stuart Tipple.
This evidence has been submitted to Ms. Morris, the coroner, for review during today’s inquest. A decision from Ms. Morris is anticipated to be issued at a later date.
In court, Michael Chamberlain struggled with his emotions as he recounted the traumatic aftermath following his daughter’s death.
He expressed: ‘Since the loss of Azaria, I have experienced a persistent fear and paranoia regarding safety around dingoes. They instill a shudder in me. It is a nightmare I must endure.’
The Australian public has closely monitored the case since its inception, with many holding strong viewpoints. While public support for Ms. Chamberlain has increased over the years, doubts still persist regarding the possibility of a dingo being responsible for Azaria’s death.
by Robbo Green