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Azaria was killed on a family camping trip to Uluru (northern territory) She was reported to have been taken from her tent by a dingo. Her parents suggest that the child was eaten by a dingo. After her mother (Lindy Chamverlain's) discovered that her daughter wasn't in her tent the campers went to go look for her. One woman says that she "heard an infants cries after they discoverd Azaria's disappearance. All of the campers present on that night think that Azaria was killed by a dingo
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Wally Goodwin finds jumpsuit, booties, nappy & singlet, matinee jacket still missing.
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Police statements (ROI's) given by all four Chamberlains at Mt. Isa, and car searched
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Magistrate Denis Barrat opened an inquest in Alice springs
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Alice Springs Coroner Denis Barritt finds that a wild dog or dingo took Azaria; that no member of the Chamberlain family was responsible for her death, but there was interference with the clothing by 'person or persons unknown'. Ken Brown requests permission to do further tests on the jumpsuit.
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Northern Territory Supreme Court (Darwin) quashes first inquest and orders a new one.
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Second Inquest Coroner Gerry Galvin commits Lindy Chamberlain to trial on the charge of murdering Azaria. Michael Chamberlain is charged as an accessory after the fact. (dubbed "Inquest by Ambush" in the media) $5,000 bail and $5,000 surety.
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Trial begins in Darwin, NT Judge Justice James Muirhead of the Supreme Court presiding. Called the "Trial of the Century".
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Lindy, heavily pregnant, is found guilty of 1st Degree Murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Michael, as accessory after the fact, receives an eighteen month suspended sentence.
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Kahlia born in custody.
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High Court Appeal fails in a split judgement of 2 to 3.
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A Petition of 131,000 signatures (later 150,000) presented to Sir Ninian Stevens, the Governor-General.
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Recently formed "Innocence Committee" submits new evidence to the NT government, and makes an application for an inquiry.
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Stuart Tipple is tipped off that the missing matinee jacket of Azaria has been found during a search for missing body parts belonging to a fallen climber at Ayers Rock. The matinee jacket had been held at the Alice Springs Court House since January 31.
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Senator Bob Collins forces local reporter Frank Alcorta to check his sources. He does and realizes that Lindy shouldn’t be in jail and be released immediately he then writes an article and threatens the NT government to publish it if she isn’t released by 12pm that day Or have an inquiry by called (The government do both).
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After a fourteen month Royal Commission Justice Trevor Morling clears the Chamberlain's of all responsibility of Azaria’s death. To support his findings he declares that she was killed by a dingo. In response the NT offers them a Pardon. (This still indicates that they are guilty in Australia).
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A new act of Parliament is forced through to allow the Chamberlain's to return to court to clear their convictions.
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The Supreme Court of Darwin quashes all convictions and declares the Chamberlain's totally innocent. The court also adopts Morling's view that Azaria was taken by a dingo if they had been asked.
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Findings of the Third Inquest are announced. NT Coroner John Lowndes reiterates that neither Lindy nor Michael were in any way involved with the disappearance of their daughter. He leaves the cause of Azaria's death 'open' however.
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the Northern Territory coroner Elizabeth Morris announced that a fourth inquest would be held in February 2012.
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a fourth coronial inquest into the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain, Coroner Elizabeth Morris ruled that a dingo was responsible for her death in 1980. Morris made the finding in the light of subsequent reports of dingo attacks on humans causing injury and death. She stated, "Azaria Chamberlain died at Uluru, then known as Ayers Rock, on 17 August 1980. The cause of her death was as a result of being attacked and taken by a dingo. Morris offered her condolences to the chamberlains