Case 243

Deidre Kennedy

*** Warning: This case involves a child victim ***

On April 14 1973, the Kennedy family awoke in their Ipswich, Queensland unit to discover the unthinkable. 16-month-old Deidre Kennedy was missing from her cot, having been abducted by an intruder overnight. 

The hunt to find Baby Deidre’s killer rattled even the most seasoned detectives. What unfolded would become one of the most frustrating cases in Queensland’s legal history, paving the way for changes to the state’s double jeopardy laws. 

CREDITS

 

Casefile Presents

 

EPISODE:

Research & writing – Elsha McGill  

Creative direction – Milly Raso

Narration – Anonymous Host

 

MUSIC:

‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com

Audio production – Mike Migas 

Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn

 

OTHER:

Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska

 

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RESOURCES

 

COURT DOCUMENTS

The Queen v Carroll (2002) – High Court of Australia 

R v Carroll (2001) – Supreme Court of Australia, Court of Appeal

R v Carroll (1999) – Supreme Court of Australia Indictment 

 

BOOKS

Justice in Jeopardy: The Unsolved Murder of Baby Deidre Kennedy – Debi Marshall

 

BLOGS

Leland E. Hale – The Official Blog

 

VIDEOS

Man found guilty twice of murdering a baby still allowed to walk free – 60 Minutes

Thieves steal murdered baby’s ashes – ABC News

Double Bind – Australia Story

 

ONLINE ARTICLES

Plaque honours infant stolen 40 years ago – Courier Mail

Woman hopes for ashes return – Courier Mail 

Deirdre’s ashes still missing – Courier Mail 

Peter Dutton’s police career rocked by case that shocked Queensland – News.com.au

Memories of 1974 flood still vivid after 40 years – Courier Mail

‘Deidre’s Law’, sparked by murdered toddler, may see three other cases revisited – Courier Mail

 

WEBSITES

Monument Australia

High Profile Crimes That Reshaped The Law In Queensland – Gnech & Associates Lawyers

Grievance Debate: Double Jeopardy Laws

 

OTHER

Carroll, Double Jeopardy and International Human Rights Law – The Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG 

Reform of the Double Jeopardy Rule on the Basis of Fresh and Compelling Evidence in NSW and QLD – Kelly Burton, 2004, James Cook University Law Review

 

 

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