Birthkeeper hired by woman who died after freebirth tells inquest she was ‘not there to make a birth safer’

<p>Emily Lal – paid $6,000 to provide freebirth support package to Stacey Warnecke – tells coroner her role was primarily to be a ‘supportive friend’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jun/16/australia-news-live-victoria-wfh-work-from-home-labor-fuel-excise-budget-cost-of-living-albanese-chalmers-one-nation-hanson-rba-interest-rates-decision-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>A birthkeeper hired by a woman who died after giving birth at home has told a coroner that she was “not there to make a birth safer”.</p><p>Emily Lal gave evidence on Tuesday at the inquest into the death of 30-year-old Stacey Warnecke, who died on 29 September in Frankston hospital after giving birth at home with her husband and Lal present.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/16/emily-lal-birthkeeper-stacey-warnecke-freebirth-death-inquest-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>