Coroner Hears Phone Records Contradict Birthkeeper's Testimony

A Victorian coroner has heard that phone records from a late mother’s device contradict the testimony of an untrained birthkeeper, potentially leading to a perjury referral. Stacey Warnecke, a 30-year-old nutritionist, died in September 2025 at Frankston hospital in Melbourne after a home birth complicated by a postpartum haemorrhage. She had paid birthkeeper Emily Lal $6,000 for support throughout her pregnancy.

The inquest began in June but paused to allow for a forensic analysis of Warnecke’s phone. Hearings resumed on Monday with counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, presenting new evidence. Ellyard stated that the analysis uncovered messages in a WhatsApp group chat coordinated by Lal for women choosing freebirth. A recorded call between the two women was also played to the court, challenging Lal’s earlier claims.

Lal previously told the court that Warnecke hired her mainly as a supportive friend and that the payment covered her time, not medical advice. Ellyard argued this contradicted the recorded interactions. In the call, Warnecke expressed fear of the hospital. Lal responded, "You should be scared of the hospital," describing it as a terrifying place. She advised that staying home required a mindset that was "so solid."

Lal also suggested that midwives could inadvertently sabotage home births by rushing women to the hospital due to exhaustion. Ellyard rejected the idea that Lal acted merely as a friend, stating that Lal was "providing advice," "providing referrals," and "selling supplements." Ellyard described the arrangement as much more structured and deliberate than a friend simply pulling hair back or wiping a forehead.

Lal declined an invitation to return and provide further evidence after the phone analysis. She had originally testified under a certificate of protection, which prevents her evidence from being used against her in future proceedings. Ellyard told the coroner she could find Lal was not truthful and refer the matter to the Office of Public Prosecutions for perjury.

The court heard that Lal asked Warnecke three times if she wanted an ambulance after the birth. Warnecke lost up to 1.5 litres of blood and struggled to breathe before agreeing the third time. She was seriously unwell when paramedics arrived and died in hospital hours later after the facility exhausted its blood supply. Ellyard noted that postpartum haemorrhage is eminently treatable if identified immediately.

Ellyard stated that Warnecke would have survived if she had been in a hospital, where such complications are common and rarely fatal in well-resourced countries. She added that Warnecke would also have survived with a registered midwife present at the home birth. The coroner will deliver her findings at a later date.