Australia Australia - Tegan Lane, 2 days old, Sydney, 14 Sept 1996 *K. Lane guilty*

[Via Marple]

The secret reecording with Keli and her Mum.
Commencing about 7:58
at 10:54 Mum - "You could have put the child up for adoption, and I don't know if you should mention that other thing, either. I think we can only cope with only one thing a time. Well nothing has cropped up about that has it? Where did that happen and when?"

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What was that other thing?

Mum sounded like she didn't know about the other pregnancies during that phone call. And if she did, they wouldn't count as just "one thing".

Mum sounded like a very level headed person. Keli did sound a bit afraid of her. But she generally spoke freely to Mum.

The only times that Keli hesitated/stuttered during that call, as I observed it, was

1. when Mum asked her when she last knew Tegan was alive (...implied that she didn't immediately understand what Mum was saying)
2. When Mum said, after repeatedly expressing doubt about the young bloke taking a baby to raise himself - but obviously you agreed... Didn't you? (For him to take the baby)

I have no problem understanding Mum. So why had Keli's anxiety spiked?

 

[Via Marple]

I think it may have been quite easy - the father of baby #1 was the man she was dating immediately prior to Duncan Gilles. The father of baby #3 was another man she dated for a few months. The relationships were public and known to her friends and family. This information is in Nice Girl (book). Neither of the relationships were “affairs” or one night stands. These men were her boyfriends at the time she conceived. To be honest, I think Gilles is most likely Tegan’s father, although I expect that will never be proven. I doubt any evidence of Tegan alive or dead will ever be found. Having said all that, the police clearly took their names and found them and the adopted children as well. Andrew Norris/Morris has perhaps some secret power of invisibility.

Hmm if Tegan was DG's, that DG/KL relationship needs to be looked at again. Because a motive might exist there, for Tegan to be disposed of.

So #1 and #3 babies were born after her relationships with the fathers had ended, so it was kinda reasonable she didn't want to tell, and didn't want the babies. But she was still with DG when Tegan was born.

 

[The Observer]

*snipped by me
Yes that seems like amazing detective work to locate the two biological fathers. Of course there were the two adopted children as starting points for investigation. And Keli might have given police, a list of 'suspects' (potential fathers)?

I found a post at ExposedABC which was pretty spot on.. (And off track, as usual) - there are many missing persons here, not just Tegan. Andrew, Mel, Andrew's mum, Andrew's friends when he first met Keli, taxi driver... And I would add, Andrew's neighbours since no one at the Balmain apartment block remembers him. Could they all be dead? Overseas?

Police compiled a list of known boyfriends.

Source: Nice Girl by Rachael Jane Chin.

 

[Spooky7]

There’s been a lots of discussion about whether Keli has a mental illness or a personality disorder and while I don’t think there’s enough evidence to conclude one way or the other I do think that schemas give us some insight into her motivations, behaviours and internal experiences. The schema I think is most relevant to Keli AND her parents is “defectiveness/shame.” 18 Early Schemas Defined

This schema develops as a result of neglect and based on what I’ve seen of her parents I think it’s highly likely her parents neglected her emotionally. In the Exposed doco they talked about how she grew up feeling that negative emotions were not okay, this is neglectful. Children need to be taught to cope with negative emotions and experiences, however I think the focus on the family was on pushing these things down and ignoring them. I think for Keli her choices were motivated by her concerns about reputation and a sense of shame if she damaged this reputation at all.

 

[sosocurious]

Snipped by me.

Regarding the 180 and keeping a child, I dare say it's because John Borovnik had already reported Tegan as a missing person in October 2000. She was first interviewed by Detective Kehoe February 2001. So she was already on the police radar before that child was conceived/born.

I agree.

October 1999 - Just a few days after having called Keli at the private school where she worked. She denied having Tegan and Borovnik told her he would have to call the police.

7 November 1999 - John Borovnik reported Tegan missing.

14 Feb 2001 - Keli's first interview.
When asked for other records which might help police track down Tegan or Mr Morris, Lane showed Sen-Constable Keohe her Medicare card, which identified Tegan as her dependant child.
She said she had filled out the forms in hospital "in case Tegan was with me and I needed to take her to a doctor".

October 2002 - Detective Gaut takes over the investigation and .................


When Borovnik called Ryde Hospital, he was surprised by the nurses' disclosure of the doctors' doubts about Lane's pregnancy and started scouring the hospital records. There he discovered that a pregnant Lane had attended the same hospital three years earlier, saying she was overdue and asking to have her baby induced. The staff had examined her and assessed her as being only 38 weeks pregnant rather than the 40 she claimed, and discharged her. Three days later, she returned to Ryde, this time saying she was 41 weeks and three days' pregnant and again asking for the birth to be induced. She was given an ultrasound and, based on the results, discharged again. She turned up again the following day saying she had terrible back pain and asking to be induced. For the third time, staff refused.


This perplexed Borovnik. It seemed Lane had given birth to a child before, but was now lying about it. Why? And what had happened to that child? His curiosity was now piqued and he made a number of inquiries with the adoption arm of Anglicare and DoCS's own adoption branch, and discovered she'd had a daughter adopted out through Centacare in 1995.

Man on a mission

Keli had gained part time employment at Ravenswood School in August 1996 as the water polo team coach. She commenced coaching the water polo team weeks after giving birth to Tegan. She had signed on to do that while still carrying Tegan, presumably in August and was continuing her studies to be a physical education teacher. Though, considering deferring them for a semester or two.

When were the school holidays in 1996? Maybe the urgency (induction) was to have Tegan born before the new term, business as usual. It was determine Keli was 38 weeks when induced with Tegan. She may have been appointed the part time water polo coach late August - ready to commence in the new school term and that would have been rather difficult not knowing when baby decided it was time to enter the world.
jmo

Nice Girl

 

[The Observer]

Yes, in fact she was already pregnant again when Borovnik reported Tegan missing in October 2000.

Wasn't until November 2000 that she told her boyfriend (later husband) that she was pregnant with his child and already four months along. Did Borovnik reporting Tegan as a missing person force her hand here? Was she going to keep baby 4 all along or? Mind boggles..

Source:

 

[The Observer]

There’s been a lots of discussion about whether Keli has a mental illness or a personality disorder and while I don’t think there’s enough evidence to conclude one way or the other I do think that schemas give us some insight into her motivations, behaviours and internal experiences. The schema I think is most relevant to Keli AND her parents is “defectiveness/shame.” 18 Early Schemas Defined

This schema develops as a result of neglect and based on what I’ve seen of her parents I think it’s highly likely her parents neglected her emotionally. In the Exposed doco they talked about how she grew up feeling that negative emotions were not okay, this is neglectful. Children need to be taught to cope with negative emotions and experiences, however I think the focus on the family was on pushing these things down and ignoring them. I think for Keli her choices were motivated by her concerns about reputation and a sense of shame if she damaged this reputation at all.

Two things that stood out to me especially. When asked about Keli her parents talk of sporting achievements and even her father bringing out all her sporting medals etc, never talk of her personality or funny anecdotes iykwim. Sports is what you do it's not who you are as a person. Another thing is the phone call recording of Keli and her Mum when they're discussing telling Robert the situation. Sandra says she had to tell the brother because he walked in on her distressed. The brother seemed more worried about his career and how this would affect him and his life. The whole family seems about themselves individually. How am "I" going to look, etc.

 

[sosocurious]

Yes, in fact she was already pregnant again when Borovnik reported Tegan missing in October 2000.

Wasn't until November 2000 that she told her boyfriend (later husband) that she was pregnant with his child and already four months along. Did Borovnik reporting Tegan as a missing person force her hand here? Was she going to keep baby 4 all along or? Mind boggles..

Source:

The mind does boggle.
She told him she was having a baby but she never told him about her other births until a month before they married.
So was the father present at the birth of his daughter. How was Keli able to hide the previous births from the father. Did he believe this was pregnacy number one? How did the doctor following her through the 4 birth - not know there had been at least one previous birth?

 

[sosocurious]

Two things that stood out to me especially. When asked about Keli her parents talk of sporting achievements and even her father bringing out all her sporting medals etc, never talk of her personality or funny anecdotes iykwim. Sports is what you do it's not who you are as a person. Another thing is the phone call recording of Keli and her Mum when they're discussing telling Robert the situation. Sandra says she had to tell the brother because he walked in on her distressed. The brother seemed more worried about his career and how this would affect him and his life. The whole family seems about themselves individually. How am "I" going to look, etc.

I still wonder why she told her son before her hubby. Did hubby not notice his wifes distress?

When Keli said to her mother in the phone call. "I really did not have a choice." Mum's immediate reply was you could have adopted the child out. If this ghost Andrew did not want his child adopted that would not have been an option ..would it?
I am surprised Mum never said "Well you could have come and told me of your situation and we could have helped and supported you"
jmo

 

[Via Marple]

Yes, in fact she was already pregnant again when Borovnik reported Tegan missing in October 2000.

Wasn't until November 2000 that she told her boyfriend (later husband) that she was pregnant with his child and already four months along. Did Borovnik reporting Tegan as a missing person force her hand here? Was she going to keep baby 4 all along or? Mind boggles..

Source:

Forced her hand yes it's likely.

Every time she was pregnant, she evaluated the risks to herself, and chose the least risky 'solution'.

It only boggles the minds of those who can't imagine anyone thinking in those terms, about her own flesh and blood.

It is much easier to assume every woman has maternal instincts.

 

[sosocurious]

Forced her hand yes it's likely.

Every time she was pregnant, she evaluated the risks to herself, and chose the least risky 'solution'.

It only boggles the minds of those who can't imagine anyone thinking in those terms, about her own flesh and blood.

It is much easier to assume every woman has maternal instincts.

Not knowing you are carrying a child is one thing. Going to such lengths to hide it, hide it and hide it again. I just cannot comprehend.

 

[Spooky7]

I agree.

October 1999 - Just a few days after having called Keli at the private school where she worked. She denied having Tegan and Borovnik told her he would have to call the police.

7 November 1999 - John Borovnik reported Tegan missing.

14 Feb 2001 - Keli's first interview.
When asked for other records which might help police track down Tegan or Mr Morris, Lane showed Sen-Constable Keohe her Medicare card, which identified Tegan as her dependant child.
She said she had filled out the forms in hospital "in case Tegan was with me and I needed to take her to a doctor".

October 2002 - Detective Gaut takes over the investigation and .................


When Borovnik called Ryde Hospital, he was surprised by the nurses' disclosure of the doctors' doubts about Lane's pregnancy and started scouring the hospital records. There he discovered that a pregnant Lane had attended the same hospital three years earlier, saying she was overdue and asking to have her baby induced. The staff had examined her and assessed her as being only 38 weeks pregnant rather than the 40 she claimed, and discharged her. Three days later, she returned to Ryde, this time saying she was 41 weeks and three days' pregnant and again asking for the birth to be induced. She was given an ultrasound and, based on the results, discharged again. She turned up again the following day saying she had terrible back pain and asking to be induced. For the third time, staff refused.


This perplexed Borovnik. It seemed Lane had given birth to a child before, but was now lying about it. Why? And what had happened to that child? His curiosity was now piqued and he made a number of inquiries with the adoption arm of Anglicare and DoCS's own adoption branch, and discovered she'd had a daughter adopted out through Centacare in 1995.

Man on a mission

Keli had gained part time employment at Ravenswood School in August 1996 as the water polo team coach. She commenced coaching the water polo team weeks after giving birth to Tegan. She had signed on to do that while still carrying Tegan, presumably in August and was continuing her studies to be a physical education teacher. Though, considering deferring them for a semester or two.

When were the school holidays in 1996? Maybe the urgency (induction) was to have Tegan born before the new term, business as usual. It was determine Keli was 38 weeks when induced with Tegan. She may have been appointed the part time water polo coach late August - ready to commence in the new school term and that would have been rather difficult not knowing when baby decided it was time to enter the world.
jmo

Nice Girl

Term dates from my school diary from 1996. I was in Canberra so NSW could have been a week earlier or later.

 

[Spooky7]

Trying again with term dates

 

[The Observer]

The mind does boggle.
She told him she was having a baby but she never told him about her other births until a month before they married.
So was the father present at the birth of his daughter. How was Keli able to hide the previous births from not only the father. Did he believe this was pregnacy number one? How did the doctor following her through the 4 birth - not know there had been at least one previous birth?

Yeah her bf believed it was her first. From the Nice Girl book:

"Despite marrying Keli only a month after learning about her secret children, the strain of the mystery of Tegan’s whereabouts and the shock of learning their child was Keli's fourth, not her first, is too much for Peter. Within a year of the end of the inquest, he and Keli separate."

Sandra was good at hiding things from her husband it seems. She knew he had to be told things in a specific manner judging by that telephone recording. Re: Doctor/births - Keli did tell a midwife (was it?) that she had given birth before. I think they made a note of it in her chart? Which birth it was I'm not sure.

I still wonder why she told her son before her hubby. Did hubby not notice his wifes distress?

When Keli said to her mother in the phone call. "I really did not have a choice." Mum's immediate reply was you could have adopted the child out. If this ghost Andrew did not want his child adopted that would not have been an option ..would it?
I am surprised Mum never said "Well you could have come and told me of your situation and we could have helped and supported you"
jmo

Yes I noticed that too. She says it in front of the cameras, but not in a private conversation with her daughter!?

 

[JLZ]

Do you think Sandra's making some of this up about how things have to be kept from Keli's father and about how they could impact Keli's brother? Like she has to maintain the image that she, Sandra, is the good guy and her needs don't count, but she's going to try to manipulate through guilt and fear over someone else's reactions. Whereas the someone else possibly doesn't have that type of investment at all. Triangulation, I think it's called.

 

[Bohemian]

Do you think Sandra's making some of this up about how things have to be kept from Keli's father and about how they could impact Keli's brother? Like she has to maintain the image that she, Sandra, is the good guy and her needs don't count, but she's going to try to manipulate through guilt and fear over someone else's reactions. Whereas the someone else possibly doesn't have that type of investment at all. Triangulation, I think it's called.

I don’t know what type of pathology exists but I feel it’s not confined to Keli.

 

[The Observer]

Do you think Sandra's making some of this up about how things have to be kept from Keli's father and about how they could impact Keli's brother? Like she has to maintain the image that she, Sandra, is the good guy and her needs don't count, but she's going to try to manipulate through guilt and fear over someone else's reactions. Whereas the someone else possibly doesn't have that type of investment at all. Triangulation, I think it's called.

There's definitely something going on. I've re-watched them multiple times in various video clips when they are sitting together answering questions and it's odd. I understand it would be natural to be guarded after all that happened, there's just something about the way they answer and their body language. Both Sandra and Keli has said things like "you don't know my Dad.." and "he'll explode" etc, perhaps he was an old fashioned copper who was a very strict disciplinarian!? Sandra had to manage the home/kids to make sure he wasn't set off!? Whatever happened in their social circle/social life at gatherings and dinners, etc seems vastly different to what went on, and who they were, behind closed doors. They definitely loved the pedestal they were on all those years in their community and maybe it's just a case of some buried/unresolved resentment that all of that is now gone.

 

[Via Marple]

Trying again with term dates

Thanks! Term dates have been similar for 20 years, I think. We just started term 4 in NSW this week.

There should have been plenty of time for Keli to give birth and start teaching term 4. I had forgotten to account for water polo being a summer sport (obviously it's not my thing). So getting the job in Aug didn't mean she would start right away.

That left the wedding being the only "pressing matter". Maybe she was really worried that she would go into labour during that day, in front of everyone that mattered in Manly. A social butterfly thing that again is not my thing.

 

[Bohemian]

You know, it’s Keli’s continued duplicity that gets to me. It’s pathological. I can’t find it in me to blame Keli’s family situation for her repeated irresponsibility. Regardless of her age, she made those choices.

I realise it’s entirely possible that Keli may have had a personality disorder during her teenage years/early adulthood. I feel compassion for her if this was the case but cannot condone her choices; especially if one of them led to an innocent’s death. I have heard (and read?) that people ‘grow out of’ some types of personality disorders but, if Keli killed Tegan, either by her own hands or by abandoning her, and is still insisting otherwise, I don’t think she has recovered.

 

[JLZ]

You know, it’s Keli’s continued duplicity that gets to me. It’s pathological. I can’t find it in me to blame Keli’s family situation for her repeated irresponsibility. Regardless of her age, she made those choices.

I realise it’s entirely possible that Keli may have had a personality disorder during her teenage years/early adulthood. I feel compassion for her if this was the case but cannot condone her choices; especially if one of them led to an innocent’s death. I have heard (and read?) that people ‘grow out of’ some types of personality disorders but, if Keli killed Tegan, either by her own hands or by abandoning her, and is still insisting otherwise, I don’t think she has recovered.

BBM

I'm sure there are non-dysfunctional families but I don't think they're very common. The parents were brave to do those interviews for Keli's sake. I don't like to imagine the kinds of things that would be said if I or my family put ourselves in that position.