Inquest Hears Homebirth Advocate Should Face Charges After Mother's Death

A Victorian inquest has heard that a homebirth advocate, who charged a pregnant woman $6,000 for her services, should face multiple charges following the mother's death. Stacey Warnecke, 30, died in hospital on September 29, 2025, from complications of a postpartum hemorrhage several hours after giving birth to her son, Axel, at home without medical assistance.

During a hearing at the Coroners Court of Victoria, counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, urged Coroner Therese McCarthy to refer Emily Lal, the 'birth keeper,' to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Ellyard suggested Lal may have committed perjury and other offenses related to the advice and support she offered Warnecke and other women.

Ellyard argued that Lal, who is not a member of any regulated health profession, presented herself as capable of providing expert advice and support for pregnant women in various circumstances. "She was not a member of any regulated health profession and not authorised to engage in any form of medical education or support," Ellyard told the court.

A recording of a phone call between Warnecke and Lal, made on January 31, 2025, when Warnecke was seven weeks pregnant, was played during the inquest. In the call, Warnecke expressed her fear of hospitals and her desire to give birth at home, asking Lal for reassurance. "Am I dying or am I right?" Warnecke asked Lal, who responded by saying, "Yeah, you're good, you're good."

Ellyard stated that this recording "sharply contradicted" evidence Lal had previously given at an earlier hearing, where she claimed to be a supportive friend rather than a source of medical guidance. Ellyard urged the coroner to consider the recording as a more reliable, contemporaneous account.

According to Ellyard, Lal viewed her role as strengthening a client's resolve to give birth at home, regardless of how difficult labor became. Ellyard suggested Lal may have "groom" clients into resisting the temptation to seek medical help or pain relief during labor, viewing a hospital transfer as a sign of a client who "hadn't done the work."

Lal quoted $6,000 for a package that included antenatal sessions, birth support, and six weeks of postpartum care. However, she also indicated that she might not always be present for births, stating she would "prepare the two of you to birth on your own."

Messages recovered from Warnecke's phone also reportedly conflicted with Lal's testimony. Lal had claimed she stopped working as a birth keeper after Warnecke's death. However, in October 2025, Lal informed WhatsApp groups that she had deactivated her Instagram due to "some things going on," would only accept referrals by word of mouth, and would attend a "very limited number of births." This occurred as the Health Complaints Commissioner was taking action against her, including issuing an interim prohibition order.

Evidence presented suggested Warnecke's death was due to a postpartum hemorrhage after a prolonged labor. A pathologist found the hemorrhage occurred "in the setting of a free birth." Ellyard stated that Warnecke bled until her heart failed because her uterus was too exhausted from prolonged labor to contract and stop the bleeding.

Ellyard emphasized that Warnecke would likely not have died had she been attended by even a midwife. "Women like Stacey, who are otherwise healthy, do not die in hospital of childbirth. They don't," Ellyard said. She noted that the maternal death rate in high-income countries is approximately three in 100,000, compared to 900 in 100,000 among women who refuse medical care.

The inquest heard that the most distressing aspect of the case was how little intervention might have been needed to save Warnecke's life. The presence of a midwife, Ellyard argued, "would have made the difference between life and death." A midwife could have administered medication and performed manual massage to help the uterus contract and stop the bleeding.

Coroner McCarthy is expected to deliver her findings at a later date.