BACKGROUND: "In 2015, in the blissful coastal town of St Helens in Tasmania, her lifeless body was found by police in a local park. Word had quickly spread through the small community that Eden had died, her parents Jason and Amanda rushing to the scene. Police ruled that Eden had taken her own life and a three-page report by a coroner agreed. But what really happened to Eden on the night she died continues to be questioned by those close to her. They don't believe she died by suicide. They believe that something far more sinister occurred.
://www.mamamia.com.au/eden-westbrook-case/
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It beggars belief that it has occurred. I understand that the photographs are very sensitive and can be very disconcerting and upsetting to people who may view them. “But as far as I’m concerned, as a consultant forensic pathologist who has been retained in this case or any other case … I fail to understand the reasoning behind any refusal and it’s not occurred in any requests that I’ve made ever over my career.”
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QUOTE TWO OF THE DAY: "Eden’s father and mother Jason and Amanda Westbrook said they were “in shock” after hearing Dr Collins had been knocked back from seeing his daughter’s autopsy photos. Mr Westbrook said the photos were particularly critical, as two of his other daughters said they noticed, when applying Eden’s makeup for her funeral, that she had “shattered” teeth andbruising around her neck. Since learning of their daughters’ concerns, the Westbrooks have been asking questions about whether these injuries could be signs of a struggle, and potential evidence that Eden did not die by self harm. “There’s things that need to be looked at. I don’t want to look at the photos and nor does Amanda – but Byron Collins, he’s qualified and trained and he’s able and he wants to look at them,” Mr Westbrook told the podcast. “Now we can put that to bed, we can be given a definitive answer on whether there was blunt force trauma to Eden’s face, teeth, or bruising to her neck. “It can be explained, through those photos, if they’re there or if they’re not. Why they’re not providing them and giving us closure on that as parents is mind-blowing.”
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NETWORKED KNOWLEDGE MEDIA REPORT: (June 26, 2024): "Forensic expert blocked in Tasmanian teenage death case, published by Mamamia (Senior News Writer Isabella Ross), on June 18, 2024. (Mamamia(stylised as MamaM!a) is an Australian news, opinion and lifestyle website targeted at women. It was created in 2007 by former magazine-editor Mia Freedman as an online blog. The website has since expanded, growing into an online hub for women's news and opinion across many subjects, with over 100 different contributors creating content for the site. Wikipedia);
GIST: "Eden Westbrook, 15, was deemed to have died by suicide in the Tasmanian east coast township of St Helens during 2015. But evidence has since come to light that she may have in fact been murdered.
An independent expert with 50 years’ experience has been knocked back from accessing autopsy photographs in the case of Eden Westbrook – a career-first that has left him “astounded”.
Consultant forensic pathologist Byron Collins was engaged to review the coronial file in the tragic 2015 case, in which 15-year-old Eden was found hanging in a tree in central St Helens.
While Eden’s death was quickly deemed a suicide, her family believes she was in fact murdered – with the teenager’s mystifying story now reaching a wide and national audience.
But when Dr Collins recently requested Eden’s file, he was refused access to her autopsyphotos – which he said had never occurred before in his career. “I have never faced this problem before and I’m astounded that it has occurred,” Dr Collins told podcaster Jay Walkerden in this week’s episode of his podcast into Eden’s case, Our Little Edey. “It beggars belief that it has occurred. I understand that the photographs are very sensitive and can be very disconcerting and upsetting to people who may view them. “But as far as I’m concerned, as a consultant forensic pathologist who has been retained in this case or any other case … I fail to understand the reasoning behind any refusal and it’s not occurred in any requests that I’ve made ever over my career.”
Dr Collins said the autopsy photos were essential in any post mortem examination, and needed in order to conduct a full review. “I’m not a little hamstrung – I’m totally hamstrung and totally frustrated, because I can’t provide a complete review of the circumstances in this particular case.” He said there was also no avenue to appeal the decision.
The Mercury reached out to Tasmania’s Coronial Division for a response, but was told the “issue around the refusal for the release of the autopsy photos is not a matter for comment”.
The Mercury also contacted Attorney-General Guy Barnett, specifically questioning if he would consider intervening or order the coroner to hold a full public inquest – as done in the case of another young Tasmanian, Jari Wise, by his predecessor Elise Archer. Mr Barnett did not comment on a possible intervention, and also responded that the release of information in relation to a coronial investigation was normally a matter for coroners.
However, he said he would look into the matter. “I have asked my department to make enquiries about the circumstances of the request and the release of information in relation to coronial matters,” he said.
Eden’s father and mother Jason and Amanda Westbrook said they were “in shock” after hearing Dr Collins had been knocked back from seeing his daughter’s autopsy photos. Mr Westbrook said the photos were particularly critical, as two of his other daughters said they noticed, when applying Eden’s makeup for her funeral, that she had “shattered” teeth andbruising around her neck.
Since learning of their daughters’ concerns, the Westbrooks have been asking questions about whether these injuries could be signs of a struggle, and potential evidence that Eden did not die by self harm. “There’s things that need to be looked at. I don’t want to look at the photos and nor does Amanda – but Byron Collins, he’s qualified and trained and he’s able and he wants to look at them,” Mr Westbrook told the podcast.
“Now we can put that to bed, we can be given a definitive answer on whether there was blunt force trauma to Eden’s face, teeth, or bruising to her neck. “It can be explained, through those photos, if they’re there or if they’re not. Why they’re not providing them and giving us closure on that as parents is mind-blowing.”
The entire story can be read at:
http://www.netk.net.au/Tasmania/Tasmania42.pdf
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
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FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
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