No charges on backpacker baby death

Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against an Irish backpacker who was accused of hiding the existence of her stillborn baby for several days.

Caroline Marie Quinn, 25, had been charged with concealing the birth of a child that died in May this year.

But in Perth Magistrate's Court today, prosecutors said they were not continuing with the case because it was not in the public interest.

At her last appearance in court, Ms Quinn had her bail restrictions altered so she could return to Ireland to be with family.

A lawyer who represented her in court on Thursday would not confirm whether she was still in Ireland, but Ms Quinn did not appear in person to hear the charges officially dropped

It is understood Ms Quinn, 25, was travelling around WA with friends, with reports in the Irish press suggesting she did not know she was pregnant when she gave birth in Halls Creek.

After giving birth Ms Quinn was said to have hidden the body of the stillborn baby for several days before admitting to her friends she'd given birth.

The body of the newborn was discovered in a hotel in Halls Creek on May 21, after which Ms Quinn was taken to hospital and police notified.

Ms Quinn was then charged with concealing the birth, as the law requires all births to be reported, even if the baby dies from natural causes