Veteran TV journalist Liz Hayes zeroes in on Tasmanian tragedy of Eden Westbrook

The tragic case of Eden Westbrook, which has mystified Tasmanians for years, has caught the attention of veteran TV journalist Liz Hayes. Where to catch her special investigation.

Eden Westbrook, 15, was deemed to have died by suicide in the Tasmanian east coast township of St Helens during 2015. Picture: Supplied

A tragic case that has mystified Tasmanians for years has caught the attention of veteran television journalist Liz Hayes.

In 2015, 15-year-old Eden Westbrook was found deceased in a tree by the foreshore of St Helens – with her death quickly deemed a suicide.

But Eden’s family have long held that she didn’t die by self-harm, but was murdered.

The case was first brought to public attention by the Mercury, and has since reached wide audiences thanks to a podcast entitled Our Little Edey.

Hayes travelled to Tasmania to unravel the mystery surrounding Eden’s death for her Nine Network show, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes.

As part of her mission, Hayes visited St Helens, to the scene where Eden died, and spoke with witnesses along with Eden’s mother Amanda.

She also recorded a panel interview with Eden’s father Jason, the podcaster behind Our Little Edey, Jay Walkerden, former detective Damian Marrett, and Mercury crime reporter Amber Wilson.

Veteran television journalist Liz Hayes is investigating the case of Eden Westbrook, a teenage girl found dead at St Helens in 2015. From left, Eden's father Jason Westbrook, podcaster Jay Walkerden, Liz Hayes, Mercury crime reporter Amber Wilson, and former detective Damian Marrett. Picture: Nine Network

“After visiting the town of St Helens, tracing Eden’s last steps, as well as speaking to witnesses and Eden’s family, the gravity of this tragedy was abundantly obvious,” Hayes said.

“And while our focus is always to bring much needed light to unsolved criminal cases, our commitment also lies in championing justice and providing answers for loved ones like Jason and Amanda.”

Hayes noted Eden’s grieving parents had been “haunted” by the stark disparity between a coroner’s ruling that she died by suicide, and their daughter’s “vibrant essence”.

“It’s a delicate balance between amplifying their voices while offering solace and hope,” she said.

Veteran television journalist Liz Hayes travelled to Tasmania to investigate the case of Eden Westbrook. Pictured with podcaster Jay Walkerden. Picture: Nine Network

“With an outstanding panel of experts by my side, it’s the hope of Under Investigation that the family’s years of not knowing what happened the night Eden died will come to an end.”

The full complexity of the Eden Westbrook story has become more apparent over time, with claims police bungled the investigation and that the coroner did not receive the full story or all of the evidence, including CCTV footage, much of which has since been lost or destroyed.

Revelations that Paul Reynolds – the senior policeman who oversaw the death investigation – later died by suicide amid allegations he was a pedophile, has also added a further layer to those complexities.

A special episode of Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, For the Love of Eden, will screen on Tuesday June 18, at 8.30pm, on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Follow @ambervwilson

Originally published as Veteran TV journalist Liz Hayes zeroes in on Tasmanian tragedy of Eden Westbrook