$6,000 fee and phone records fuel perjury review for Melbourne birthkeeper

Coroner Therese McCarthy may refer birthkeeper Emily Lal to the Office of Public Prosecutions for perjury following a review of phone records in the death of Stacey Warnecke. Rachel Ellyard, counsel assisting the coroner, told the court that the forensic analysis of Warnecke's device contradicted Lal's earlier testimony. Ellyard stated it would be open to the coroner to find Lal was not truthful and to initiate a criminal matter.

Warnecke, a 30-year-old nutritionist, died in September 2025 at Frankston hospital in Melbourne. She suffered a postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth at home. Warnecke had paid Lal $6,000 for support during her pregnancy. Lal described herself as an untrained birthkeeper operating outside the medical system.

The inquest began in June 2026 but paused to allow for the phone analysis. Hearings resumed on Monday with new evidence presented. Ellyard played a recorded call between Warnecke and Lal and highlighted messages from a WhatsApp group coordinated by Lal for women choosing freebirth. The material challenged Lal's claim that she acted primarily as a supportive friend.

Lal previously testified that the payment covered her time and that she provided no medical advice. She stated she would not call an ambulance unless asked and that her role was not to ensure safety. In the recorded call, Lal told Warnecke, "You should be scared of the hospital." She described the hospital as a terrifying place and argued that staying home required a solid mindset. Lal also suggested midwives might inadvertently sabotage home births by recommending hospital transfers.

Ellyard rejected Lal's characterization of the relationship. She argued Lal was providing advice, referrals, and supplements, making the arrangement structured and deliberate. Ellyard noted that Warnecke's husband, Nathan, was reassured into believing his role was passive. Lal declined to return to the court to give further evidence after the phone analysis. She had originally testified only after receiving a certificate of protection, which prevents her evidence from being used against her in future proceedings.

The court heard that Lal asked Warnecke three times if she wanted an ambulance after the mother lost up to 1.5 liters of blood and struggled to breathe. Warnecke agreed on the third attempt but was already seriously unwell by the time paramedics arrived. She died in hospital after its blood supply was exhausted. Ellyard stated that Warnecke would have survived if she had been in a hospital or with a registered midwife.

The coroner has not yet delivered her findings. The case involves the question of whether Lal's statements regarding her lack of clinical authority and passive role were false while under oath. The Office of Public Prosecutions prepares and conducts criminal matters on behalf of the director if a referral is made.