The Lindy Chamberlain case: investigation and trial outcomes

Lindy Chamberlain Case

While many may not recognize Lindy Chamberlain's name, the public may be more familiar with her claims that a baby took off with her baby, Azaria on August 17, 1980. Despite a massive search for the infant, dingo paw print tracking led nowhere, and little evidence was collected or documented at the scene of the crime, and evidence was collected at different times during the investigation. Furthermore, while an initial inquest concluded Azaria had been killed by a dingo, prosecutors found Lindy's claims too surreal to be true and ordered a 4.5-hour search of the Chamberlain home to try and find any evidence proving Lindy murdered her daughter. After claims arose that large quantities of blood were found in the Chamberlain car, a second inquest was launched that determined Lindy was guilty of murdering her daughter. Despite massive errors in judgment and analysis, Lindy was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Only after an English hiker plummeted to his death in 1986, near dingo lairs where Azaria's coat was found, was Lindy exonerated. A third inquest quashed all convictions and a fourth inquest officially determined Azaria had been killed by a dingo.

On August 17, 1980, Lindy and Michael Chamberlain, and their three children Aiden, age 6, Reagan, age 4, and Azaria, 10-weeks old, went on a camping trip to Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory in Australia (Linder, 2012). Shortly after putting Azaria down for a nap, Lindy rushed back to the tent only to find a dingo had taken her baby. Despite Lindy's claims, investigator's accused Lindy of murdering Azaria, and based on expert testimony and forensic analysis, Lindy was found guilty of murder after a second inquest.

As soon as Azaria was reported missing, a search party consisting of more than 300 volunteers was formed (Linder, 2012). The first investigator on the scene of the crime, Frank Morris, shined a light across the Chamberlain's tent floor and noticed blood on one of the rugs and paw prints leading away from the entrance (Linder, 2012). Morris tracked the paw prints but found they faded as they hit the road. Tourist Murray Haby followed a set of dingo prints to a depression in the sand where it appeared something had been set down. Ranger Derek Hoff and tracker Nuwe Minyintiri noted a knitted weave impression in the sand (Linder, 2012). A week after Azaria's disappearance, photographer Wally Goodwin found a shredded nappy and jumpsuit near a boulder while walking along a "densely foliated animal path" (Linder, 2012). Investigators collected blankets from the tent, but would not collect bloodied clothing until long thereafter (Freeman, 2013). This physical evidence collected was sent throughout Australia to various labs for analysis. Additionally, dingoes killed near Ayers Rock were dissected to see if any human remains could be found in their stomach contents and Cleland Park rangers tossed meat wrapped in nappies to study and compare dingo bite marks and behavior (Linder, 2012).

During the first inquest in December 1980, magistrate and coroner Denis Barritt determined Azaria "met her death when attacked by a wild dingo whilst asleep in her family's tent" (Linder, 2012). However, North Territory prosecutors argued that the clothes were put in place and not dragged by a dingo, and that they showed signs of being removed and not torn off. On September 19, 1981, a search of the Chamberlain's home was conducted and more "evidence" was collected. A second inquest was launched when large quantities of "blood" were found in the Chamberlain's car. During this second inquest, forensic expert James Cameron (through fluorescent examination), Dr. Andrew Scott, and Barry Cocks testified blood on Azaria's jumpsuit suggested she was cut with a sharp instrument; textile expert demonstrated how toweling occurred on the jumpsuit, which prosecutors argued occurred when Azaria was stuffed into a camera bag; biologist Joy Kuhl testified "blood" found in car was fetal blood (later discredited because "blood" turned out to be paint emulsion) and her findings were questioned when she testified blood samples had been destroyed; odontologist Bernard Sims testified, based on his observations of dogs, that a dingo could not fit its jaws around a baby's head, but recanted once he was shown photographs showing otherwise (Linder, 2012). While, dingo expert Les Harris argued the dingo would not likely hang around after killing its prey and that a dingo kill would produce little blood, Lindy was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison (Linder, 2012).