Body in Newcastle creek identified as Danielle Easey, woman famous as ‘1989 Earthquake Baby’
Police have identified the body wrapped in plastic, found in Cocke Creek near Newcastle as Danielle Easey, a woman famous for being born on the lawn outside of a hospital in the middle of Newcastle’s 1989 earthquake.
Easey, now 29, “died a gruesome death” and was known to authorities for “drug-related activities” according to Detective Chief Inspector Grant Taylor on Monday.
“A forensic examination has determined that she was murdered as a result of significant injuries that she’s received,” Taylor said, speaking to police’s relationship with Easey “over the last weeks,” struggling with drugs.
Her body was found by motorists in remote bushland in Killingworth near Lake Macquarie.
Police said she had not been reported as missing and are now appealing for help from the public to establish Ms Easey’s movements in the weeks leading up to her death.
“We know that Danielle was staying at different locations over the last three weeks and we are keen to establish where those locations were and speak to who she stayed with during that time,” Taylor said.
“Of particular interest to us is any sightings or contact with Danielle since early to mid-August, and we are appealing for those people to contact us as soon as possible.
“Detectives have been liaising with her family, who last had contact with Danielle several weeks ago.”
Danielle Easey
Easey was born just after midday on December 28, 1989, as the earthquake was unfolding throughout Newcastle.
Her mother was in the pregnancy ward on Newcastle’s Western Suburbs Hospital having contractions every two minutes when suddenly “the whole room shook”.
“Everyone left for a minute to see what was going on,” Jennifer Collier told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time. “The lights went out and we thought a car had hit the side of the building, but I was a bit groggy because I was on the gas.”
Minutes later, after hearing of the earthquake and fearing an aftershock, hospital staff seized delivery and resuscitation trolleys, and took Collier and three other women from the ward.
At one minute after midday Danielle was born, weighing 3.274 kilograms.
“It was a relief I can tell you,” Ms Collier said. “I was so hot and exhausted. I had no idea what was going on in the rest of the city.”
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