On 29 May 2026, Coroner Dimitra Dubrow delivered her findings following the Inquest into the death of Baby-R in 2022.
Outside the Coroner's Court, Slater and Gordon lawyer for the family of Baby-R, Isabelle McCombe, gave the following statement to the media on their behalf:
"At the start of the Coronial process, we were told it was happening for one simple reason: our baby's life mattered.
That truth has been an anchor for our family as we've waded through the guilt, fear, anger, silence, shame and pain we've carried for the past three and a half years. A loss we will carry for the rest of our lives.
You often hear after tragedies like these that no one should ever have to go through what our family has.
We hear it so often that sometimes it feels like it has lost its meaning. But for our family it's more than words or inquests. It's every missed milestone; it's the initial night sweats, the nausea, ongoing shock, disconnection and sleeplessness. The loss of hope, ability to work, to function to maintain relationships. So much loss.
For us, this inquest has never simply been a legal proceeding. It has involved revisiting our most painful and traumatic experiences; an incredibly gruelling process for the family. We thank the Coroner and her team for taking the time to understand our baby and the life he never had.
It takes a community to get through hard times, and ours has given our family so much over the past three and a half years. We are forever grateful to them, to the people, charitable services, and our legal team for supporting us so deeply during this time. Thank you.
