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Azaria is born
Azaria Chantel Loren Chamberlain born. -
Azaria goes missing
9 weeks, 4 days, approx. 10lb. (4.5kg) Azaria was taken from the tent at Ayers Rock by a dingo -
Azaria's clothing found. Jacket missing.
Fellow camper Wally Goodwin finds Azaria's jumpsuit, booties, nappy & singlet but her matinee jacket is still missing. -
Police statements given on the 1st and 2nd
Police statements (ROI's) given by all four Chamberlains at Mt. Isa, and car searched -
Coroner Barritt finds new information
Alice Springs Coroner Denis Barritt finds that a wild dog or dingo took Azaria and 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. -
Operation Ochre - chamberlain home raided
Operation Ochre - Chamberlain's home raided simultaneously with the homes of all other key and some eye-witnesses. -
First inquest rejected and second one ordered
Northern Territory Supreme Court (Darwin) reject's first inquest and orders a new one. -
Lindy charged with murder, Michael charged as an accessory
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. -
Trial begins
Trial begins in Darwin, NT Judge Justice James Muirhead of the Supreme Court presiding. Called the "Trial of the Century". -
Lindy found guilty whilst pregnant, Michael as an accessory
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. -
Kahlia, sister of azaria is born
Azaria's sister Kahlia born in custody. -
Bail application upheld
Federal Court bail application upheld pending 1982 appeal. Decision held overnight. $300 bail. -
Appeal rejected, Kahlia lives with foster parents.
Federal Court unanimously rejects appeal. Lindy is held at Mulawa Women's Prison, then transferred to Darwin after application for bail pending High Court appeal fails. Kahlia goes to live with foster parents Wayne & Jenny Miller. -
Lindy temporary release denied on the 19th and 27th
Solicitor Stuart Tipple applies for Lindy's temporary release due to Reagan's eye accident. Request not granted by court. -
Split judgement of 2 to 3
High Court Appeal fails in a split judgement of 2 to 3. -
Petition present to the govenor general.
A Petition of 131,000 signatures (later 150,000) presented to Sir Ninian Stevens, the Governor-General. -
Apllication for release because of kahlia's new foster parents is denied
Applied for release on licence because of transfer of Kahlia's foster parents. Application denied. Kahlia goes to new foster parents, Dr Owen and Jan Hughes. -
Innocence committee submits new evidence, make application for enquiry
Recently formed "Innocence Committee" submits new evidence to the NT government, and makes an application for an inquiry. -
Matinee jacket has been held at alice springs court since jan 31
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. -
Lindy identify's matinee jacket
Lindy finally sees the matinee jacket and positively identifies it. -
Frank Alcorta threatens NT Govenrment to print article unless lindy is releasedby 12 noon, or an inquiry is called, they do both
February 7, 1986
Senator Bob Collins forces local reporter Frank Alcorta to check his sources. He does, and is so infuriated he writes an article for the local paper and shows it to the NT Government, threatening to print it if Lindy is not released from jail by 12 noon, or an Inquiry is called. They do both. -
Chmaberlain's cleared of all gulit or responsilbilty, NT offers them a pardon
After a fourteen month Royal Commission Justice Trevor Morling hands down his finding and clears the Chamberlain's of all guilt or responsibility. If he had been asked he finds support for the view that Azaria was taken by a dingo. In response the NT offers them a Pardon. (This still indicates guilt in Australia.) -
Chamberlain's allowed to retur to court
A new act of Parliament is forced through to allow the Chamberlain's to return to court to clear their convictions. -
Chamberlain's totally innocent
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. -
Evil Angles (A cry in the dark) is released
Release of the film Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark). It polarises the nation. -
Chamberlain's want divorce
Lindy tells Michael she wants a divorce. -
Divorce is final, Kahlia lives with Michael, Reagan with Lindy, Aidan inbetween
The Chamberlain's divorce becomes final. Kahlia chooses to live with Michael and visit Lindy, Reagan stays with Lindy and visits Michael. Aidan divides his time between the two homes. -
Chamberlain's given compensation
Compensation paid to the Chamberlains by the Northern Territory government. -
Custdy over Kahlia begins
Kahlia asks to return to live with Lindy and custody proceedings are started. -
Kahlia and Reagan now in lindy's custody
Lindy is given custody of Kahlia and Reagan (at the request of both children). -
Third inquest finds neither lindy nor michael were involved.
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. -
Mr.Cole claim he shot a dingo and found Azaria in it's jaws
Frank Cole contacts the producers of telemovie Through My Eyes and claims he shot a dingo at Uluru in 1980 and found Azaria in its jaws. -
Mr.Cole says he belived his friend buried Azaria in melbourne
Mr Cole goes public with his claims and says he believes his friend buried Azaria's body in Melbourne. -
NT Police investigate Mr.Cole's claim and prepare report for coroner
NT Police say they will investigate Mr Cole's claims and prepare a report for the coroner. -
NT coroner decide's against opening inquest in Azaria's death
The NT Coroner's office decides not to reopen the inquest into the death of Azaria, saying it is not satisfied there were new facts or evidence from the Cole investigation to reopen the inquest. -
Lindy calls for case to closed and apology from NT government.
Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton calls for the case to finally be closed, and for an apology from the NT government. -
Azaria's case finally closed
Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Morris told a packed courtroom today that a dingo was to blame for the death of nine-week-old Azaria Chamberlain, who disappeared at an Uluru campsite in 1980.
