Strangely, it would be another disappearance near Uluru six years later that would change everything. While Lindy was still in prison, the police found the body of a missing hiker who fell to his death close to the rock. Near his remains they also found baby Azaria’s missing coat… right outside a dingo cave.
With this new evidence, both Michael and Lindy were cleared of all charges, and Lindy was allowed to return to her family. Despite the ruling, many people still believed that they had something to do with their little girl’s demise…
Still, in spite of popular opinion, the Chamberlains were free at last. Not only that, but the government officially admitted to falsely imprisoning Lindy. No number was ever released, but it was estimated that the Chamberlains received upwards of $3 million for the ordeal.
Strangely, the story didn’t end there. In 1996, the State decided that it wanted to open up the case of Azaria’s murder again. The rationale? No body was found, no suspect was charged, and no clear resolution of the case ever occurred. Nothing new was discovered, but the investigation into what really happened in the shadow of Uluru was the left open this time…
Because of Azaria’s case, people now paid attention to how many children were targeted for death by dingoes. In 2007, a four-year-old girl was nearly killed by a dingo, and in 2001 a nine-year-old boy was eaten by one not far from where Azaria was taken.
