Doula tells Coroners Court she did not call ambulance during fatal “free birth”

A Victorian doula appearing at the Coroners Court says she did not call an ambulance during the final moments of Stacey Warnecke’s death. The doula testifies that she initially believed Warnecke was experiencing a panic attack while she lay dying. According to the reporting, the doula says she acted based on that assessment rather than seeking emergency medical help. The case is framed around a “free birth” arrangement, in which the death is linked to decisions made outside traditional medical support. The court hearing focuses on what the doula understood at the time, including how her perceptions of Warnecke’s condition affected her actions. The articles describe the same central claim: the doula’s decision not to call for an ambulance was deliberate and based on what she believed was happening, rather than recognizing immediately that Warnecke needed urgent emergency care. The reporting indicates the matter remains before the Coroners Court, where evidence is presented to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.