COFFEE AND CRIME AU PODCAST
Explore Our Captivating Australian True Crime Case Archive

On a cold winter afternoon in June 2014, two little girls waited in a running car while their mother walked back inside their home. She told them she’d only be a moment. She never came back.

Many people assume there must have been obvious warning signs that were overlooked, but the reality is far more complicated. Tiahleigh's death prompted widespread reviews of Queensland's child protection system, the foster carer approval process, and the Blue Card system. Those reviews weren't just about understanding what had happened—they were about determining whether the system itself could be strengthened to better protect vulnerable children.

She left dance class expecting to earn some extra money. She talked with friends, laughed about the future, and planned to buy a new pair of shoes the next day. She never came home. This week on Coffee and Crime AU, we examine the heartbreaking murder of Rachel Barber—a 15-year-old girl whose life was stolen by someone she had known and trusted for years. From the carefully constructed lie that lured Rachel to a Prahran apartment, to the investigation that uncovered a disturb