The dingo actually ate the baby? A new inquest into the death of Azaria Chamberlain hopes to place the blame officially on the dingo. Michael Chamberlain and his ex-wife, Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton, are trying to finally clear their names and change the official death record from “unknown” to “dingo.”
The Australian reports that the Northern Territory coroner has agreed to re-open a coronial inquiry into Azaria Chamberlain’s death.
Mr. Chamberlain said:
“I’m really just pleasantly surprised about this and I’m incredibly gratified. It’s been 31 years now and I just hope, well I’m sure this time it will be the ultimate verdict which we’ve been looking for, for this length of time.”
The new inquest is expected to begin in February.
Elizabeth Morris, the Northern Territory Coroner, said that new information from Chamberlain’s legal counsel prompted her to launch the inquest regarding Azaria’s disappearance in 1980.
The 9-week old baby vanished from her parents tent at Uluru. Lindy Chamberlain insisted that a dingo ate her baby but she was convicted of murder and was sentenced to life in prison in 1982. Michael was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact.
The Chamberlains were exonerated in 1987. In 1995, a coroner’s inquest resulted in an open finding which left the cause of death “unknown.”
Barrister John Bryson, who wrote a book about Azaria Chamberlain’s death called “Evil Angels,” said that it was time for the dingo to officially take the blame. Bryson told ABC:
“I think it is time really for it to be at an end. The people involved have been through enough. It has not been yet put to bed and so we hope that this coroner will.”
The Chamberlain’s have lived with the death of their daughter for over 30-years. Hopefully the new inquest finally gives them some peace of mind.
