Melbourne, December 14, 2025 — The Victorian Coroners Court has released findings about the death of Stacey Warnecke, also known online as Stacey Hatfield, who died on September 29, 2025 following complications during a home birth without medical supervision. The court identified severe postpartum hemorrhage as the cause of death in the case now under national review.
Warnecke, 30, was a nutritionist and social media content creator who promoted a lifestyle centred on “low toxin” nutrition and wellness. She had a large following on platforms where she shared recipe content and nutrition advice under her brand Natural Spoonfuls. Her husband, Nathan Warnecke, announced her death on social media in October.
Warnecke gave birth to her son, Axel, at her home in Melbourne, Victoria using a method commonly called a freebirth. Freebirth refers to delivering a baby at home without registered healthcare professionals such as obstetricians or midwives present. A birth support worker, Emily Lal, also known as The Authentic Birthkeeper, was present. Lal is not a registered healthcare provider.
According to court testimony, Warnecke appeared well immediately after delivery but began to deteriorate after passing the placenta. She experienced heavy bleeding consistent with postpartum haemorrhage, a condition in which a birthing person loses a critical amount of blood after childbirth. This condition is a leading cause of preventable maternal mortality when not rapidly treated in a clinical setting.
Warnecke initially declined an ambulance but later agreed to call emergency services. Paramedics arrived and found her in distress. She was transported to Frankston Hospital where clinicians performed multiple emergency interventions, including an emergency hysterectomy, in efforts to control her bleeding. The hospital’s supply of her specific blood type was exhausted during attempts to stabilise her. She suffered several cardiac arrests and died in the hospital’s intensive care unit at about 11 a.m. on the day of the birth.
Her newborn son survived the birth and was reported to be healthy.
During the coronial hearing, counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, noted that Warnecke had chosen to forgo routine prenatal care, including ultrasounds and consultations with midwives or obstetricians, influenced by a profound distrust of the healthcare system adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Victoria’s Health Complaints Commissioner confirmed an ongoing investigation into Emily Lal’s involvement in Warnecke’s birth and other home births that may have placed mothers and babies at risk. Lal has been temporarily prohibited from providing healthcare services pending that investigation. Authorities allege that the scene of the birth was cleaned before police examined it.
Coroner Therese McCarthy indicated that further directions hearings will continue in March 2026 to consider issues including the practice of freebirthing, the role of unregulated birth support workers, and broader maternal care decision-making.
Postpartum hemorrhage is defined medically as blood loss of 500 mL or more within 24 hours after childbirth. It can be caused by uterine atony (failure of the uterus to contract), retained placental tissue, or trauma to the birth canal. In clinical settings, rapid treatment typically involves uterotonic agents, blood transfusion, surgical intervention when needed, and continuous monitoring by trained medical staff. Delays in recognition and treatment significantly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality.
