QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Dr Collins backed the Westbrook family’s calls for a reinvestigation into Eden’s death, stating that a “lack of detailed examination at the crime scene” and an “apparent incompleteness of the post-mortem examination” bring into question the findings. Access to the full report would be required before Dr Collins could be certain. “I have said in my report it beggars belief why the photographs haven’t been provided, particularly to somebody like myself who is an expert in the area and who’s engaged by the family who have a desperate interest in the accuracy of the autopsy report and the findings,” Dr Collins said."
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NETWORKED KNOWLEDGE MEDIA REPORT: April 24, 2025: Genevieve Holding, of the Tasmania Mercury: Questionable injuries, missing procedures: forensic expert on why he believes Eden Westbrook case should be reinvestigated."
GIST: "A forensic expert with more than 50 years’ experience has continued his investigation into the tragic death of teenager Eden Westbrook, with a lack of access to coronial files hindering a thorough review.
An independent expert with 50 years’ experience has handed down an interim report into the
2015 death of 15-year-old Eden Westbrook, stating the “credibility of this investigation is
severely in question”.
However, consultant forensic pathologist Dr Richard Byron Collins said he needs access to
key collections from the full coronial file into Eden’s death before he can provide a full
review, including autopsy photos and microscope slides. Eden was sadly found hanging in a
tree in central St Helens, with her death ruled a suicide.
However, Eden’s parent Jason and Amanda Westbrook believe she was in fact murdered and
engaged Dr Collins to undertake the review into her death on a pro bono basis.
Dr Collins was previously denied access to Eden’s autopsy photos, stating he was “astounded” by the decision.
“There were basically three exercises which I, as of yet, have been unable to carry out and
therefore unable to provide a final report,” Dr Collins told podcaster Jay Walkerden in the
latest episode of his podcast into Eden’s case, Our Little Edey.
“The most important of which were the collection of autopsy photographs taken during the
performance of the post-mortem examination, which should have shown any abnormalities
that were present and identified by the pathologist.” Dr Collins said he had also been unable
to speak to the pathologist responsible for Eden’s coronial file.
Within the interim report, Dr Collins highlights what he believes are questionable injuries
recorded in the coronial file and key procedures he believes should have been performed,
such as genital swabs and a thorough examination of the scene.
The injuries include an internal fracture in Eden’s voice box, Dr Collins stated was
“uncommon” for somebody who died by hanging. “A fracture is occasioned by blunt force
trauma and that may have been as a result of compression of the neck by another mechanism
as opposed to the ligature around the neck,” he said.
“That’s one of the reasons why I am extremely keen to get a hand on the autopsy photographs because there may be something that shows up on the photograph which has for whatever reason, been omitted in the post-mortem examination.”
Dr Collins backed the Westbrook family’s calls for a reinvestigation into Eden’s death,
stating that a “lack of detailed examination at the crime scene” and an “apparent
incompleteness of the post-mortem examination” bring into question the findings.
Access to the full report would be required before Dr Collins could be certain.
“I have said in my report it beggars belief why the photographs haven’t been provided,
particularly to somebody like myself who is an expert in the area and who’s engaged by the
family who have a desperate interest in the accuracy of the autopsy report and the findings,”
Dr Collins said.
Changes to the Coroners Act 1995 that would allow the senior next of kin or an approved
pathologist or medical practitioner to be provided with copies of reports by the State Forensic Pathologist is currently being actioned by the state’s Attorney-General Guy Barnett.
The bill, along with other justice amendments, was tabled in Tasmanian parliament in early April, withMr Barnett hopeful of bringing the bill for debate before the May winter break."
The entire Networked Knowledge Media Report can be read at:
http://www.netk.net.au/Tasmania/Tasmania47.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;
—————————————————————------------------------
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
———————————————————————————————
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;
—————————————————————————————————
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;
