A Search for the Truth in ‘Nellie’s Baby’

Nellie Wilson gives birth to a baby in a psychiatric hospital in Wellington in the mid-1980s when her baby is secretly adopted out. 

Nellie Wilson (pictured). Image supplied.

Sarah is born in a psychiatric hospital, taken by the state and adopted to a new family in secret. By the time she tracks her birth mother down as an adult, it is too late: Nellie has died in suspicious circumstances, and Sarah is left with nothing but questions. 

Nellie’s Baby is an eight-part documentary podcast that follows Sarah’s journey to uncover the truth about her birth mother’s tragic life and mysterious death, presented by RNZ’s award-winning investigative journalist Kirsty Johnston and produced by Black Sheep’s William Ray.

Sarah, pictured above. Image supplied.

Out of the blue in 2022, Johnston receives an email from a stranger titled: “Investigating the possible murder of my mother”.

The author is Sarah, a young woman who was born in a psychiatric hospital in the mid-1980s in Wellington and was adopted out, only learned the true circumstances of her early life after her birth mother, Nellie, died.

Looking into her past, she wants to find answers about who Nellie was. Why was she in an institution? Did she have another baby? And most of all, was her death an accident, or something worse?

The series combines moments of joy, darkness and confronts reality — a uniquely New Zealand story that holds a mirror up to our past, present and future. Johnston says she feels lucky and proud to help tell Sarah's story.

"This is an important story, laying bare parts of our mental health system - and our own social and moral conscience - which we may have found it easier to ignore.”

RNZ’s Executive Editor (In Depth) John Hartevelt says Nellie’s Baby is not like anything that’s come before it. 

“This is a confronting, yet accessible story that will make New Zealanders think about how we, as a nation, care for the most vulnerable in our communities. But it’s also an exciting, sometimes uplifting and funny tale we know listeners will love,” Hartevelt says.

The first three episodes of Nellie’s Baby are out from Friday 15 March on podcast platforms with the remaining five episodes released daily from Monday 18 March. Listen to the first episode above and watch trailer now.

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