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AZARIA CHAMBERLAIN INQUEST
No dingo saliva
found on clothing
ALICE SPRINGS: Specially de-
vised protein tests failed to show
any indication of dingo saliva on
Azaria Chamberlain's clothing, the
Alice Springs coroner heard yester-
day.
The coroner, Mr Denis Barritt, was
hearing evidence on the ninth day of the
inquest into the disappearance of
Azaria from her parents tent at Ayres
Rock last August.
Dr Andrew Scott, officer in charge
of the forensic biology section of the
Institute of Medical and Veterinary
Sciences, in Adelaide, said he had been
sent Azaria's clothing after it was found
at Ayers Rock a week after the baby
disappeared.
"Samples for dingo saliva were in
fact taken from the upper left front near
the shoulder of the singlet, also some
from further up on the shoulder strap
near some staining and near some dam-
age to it (the strap)", Dr Scott said.
"There was some taken from near the
tears in the collar of the jumpsuit, from
the left arm near the hole in the sleeve,
and some of the indentations of the
plastic disposable nappy.
"In particular I took a sample from
the singlet where there was a pointed
indentation mark. I took the sample and
checked it for saliva. There was none
detected on any of those samples".
When he received the clothing there
had been no test to show if dingo saliva
was present on an item, Dr Scott said.
He had developed his own system by
modifying a technique used to identify
protein patterns in various materials.
The pattern was distinct from some-
thing like blood although it was too
similar to distinguish between a dingo
and a Labrador dog.
The condition of the bloodstains on
Azaria's jumpsuit and singlet indicated
that it had remained fairly dry.
Dr Scott said bloodstains on Azaria's
clothing and in the tent were from blood
of a group consistent with a child born
to Michael and Lindy Chamberlain.
The blood contained foetal
haemoglobin which was present in hu-
mans only up to six months old; with
extremely rare exceptions.
The jumpsuit had been extensively
stained, and the staining had been
"heavy" around the neck. The blood
seemed to have been applied from out
side the garment. When blood dropped
on to material, it tended to form a crust
on that surface.
This allowed experts to determine on
which side it had been dropped.
The court also heard the statement
police took from the Chamberlains
eldest son Aidan, who was six when
Azaria disappeared and who has since
turned seven. He recounted how he
went to Ayers Rock with his parents,
his younger brother Reagan and "Bub-
by" Azaria.
After watching the sunset the family
had returned to their campsite.
"After I finished my tea I said I
wanted to go to bed", the statement
said. "Mummy said she would take me
and Bubby up to bed. I went up to the
tent with Mummy and Bubby and I said
to Mummy, is that all the tea that I
get?'
"Mummy said I could have some
more tea.
"While we were in the tent Mummy
put Bubby down in the cot and then I
went to the car with Mummy and she
got some baked beans.
"I followed her down to the barbecue
area.
"When we got to the barbecue area
Mummy opened the tin of baked beans
and Daddy said, 'Is that Bubby crying?'
And Mummy said, 'I don't think so'.
"Mummy went back to the tent and
said, 'A dingo has got my baby'.
"Mummy shouted, 'Has anyone got
a torch?' And Daddy went around and
asked if anybody had one.
"When Mummy saw the dingo come
out of the tent I was behind her but I
didn't see the dingo come out of the
tent".
He recalled seeing Bubby's blankets
"spread over the tent" and saw some
blood on them.
"And I saw some blood on a sleeping
bag".
The inquest will resume at 9am to-
day.
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