Freebirth influencer death linked to unlicensed birth attendant in Australia
8 reported
A 30-year-old nutritionist and wellness influencer, Stacey Warnecke, died from complications of a massive postpartum hemorrhage after a freebirth attended by an unlicensed birth attendant, Emily Lal, according to an inquest reported by The Guardian. Lal, a former insurance worker with no medical qualifications, was trained by Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris-Clark through the Radical Birth Keeper School, which is linked to the Free Birth Society. The Guardian reports that this is the first maternal death connected to the freebirth movement, despite Saldaya’s previous claims of never hearing of such a death. Lal charged Warnecke A$6,000 for her services as a “birth keeper,” a term promoted by the Free Birth Society to circumvent midwifery licensing laws. During the inquest, Lal testified that she asked Warnecke twice if she wanted an ambulance as she bled, but only called on the third request after about half an hour. Medical experts at the inquest described Warnecke’s condition as treatable and preventable with swift medical care.
What’s reported
Stacey Warnecke, a 30-year-old nutritionist and wellness influencer, died from complications of a massive postpartum hemorrhage after a freebirth.
The birth was attended by Emily Lal, an unlicensed birth attendant trained by the Free Birth Society’s Radical Birth Keeper School.
Lal charged Warnecke A$6,000 for her services, which included prenatal support, birth planning, education, herbs, tinctures, and kits.
Lal asked Warnecke twice if she wanted an ambulance as she bled; she only called on the third request after about half an hour.
Medical experts at the inquest described Warnecke’s condition as treatable and preventable with swift medical care.
The Guardian reports this is the first maternal death linked to the freebirth movement, despite Free Birth Society founder Emilee Saldaya’s previous claim of never hearing of such a death.
Lal had previously been named in an inquest into a newborn baby’s death in 2022.
A senior doctor at Frankston hospital reported concerns about Lal to police after Warnecke’s death.
Key figures
Stacey Warnecke: 30-year-old nutritionist and wellness influencer who died after a freebirth.
Emily Lal: Unlicensed birth attendant who attended Warnecke’s birth; trained by the Free Birth Society.
Emilee Saldaya: Founder of the Free Birth Society and co-founder of the Radical Birth Keeper School.
Yolande Norris-Clark: Business partner of Saldaya and co-founder of the Radical Birth Keeper School.
Rachel Ellyard: Counsel assisting the coroner.
Sources: The Guardian
