This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On July 15, 2019, Esther Arunga, a former KTN news anchor, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter in connection with her three-year-old son's death in 2014.
According to court records, Sinclair Timberlake, Esther's son, suffered fatal injuries at their family home in Kallangur, north of Brisbane, on June 18, 2014. His father, Quincy Timberlake, a former Kenyan presidential candidate, was charged with his murder.
Esther initially told police that her son had fallen down the stairs, but an autopsy revealed that his injuries were inconsistent with a fall. She later changed her statement, claiming that her husband had punched their son in the stomach, saying 'there's a devil in his stomach, I have to get it out.'
Esther claimed that she was afraid to speak up earlier because she was terrified of being alone and felt sorry for her husband, who was also sick. However, the court heard that her inaccurate account delayed the investigation and her husband's arrest.
