Lee Barnett's past a mystery to Australian neighbors | Forensic Files

Alex probably felt home when she came to Australia because we don't generally inquire into people's past we accept
people as we find them and when she came to the Sunshine Coast that was the that
was the attitude of all the people that she met she was able to live a normal life and raise her CH raise her kids and
there was nobody here to hassle her and she was able to get on Alex's house was always full of animals and children she
was very full-on very high energy she had to be to cope with the lifestyle that she led I think she was a super mom
I uh I would would really honestly say there wouldn't be many mothers on the planet better than she was Alex's past
was a secret to us no one knew anything other than she was an American um and we never bothered to
question her as to what her Roots were or or why she was here I knew that she didn't have
a close relationship with her family and she didn't want to get back in touch with them but I didn't know the reason
why my first reaction when Alex was arrested was one of amazement and admiration when you look at it a 100
pound woman from South Carolina in the USA was able to stay away from theth authorities longer than what Osama Bin
Laden could Alex is one of a kind she's one in a million she's extraordinary she has given up her whole
life to save a baby that in itself is an amazing achievement to actually then not
get caught and move from continent to continent to continent and give up all her friends all her family have no
support she handled whatever was put in front of her and kept moving forward she's an extraordinary woman she was my
energy she was my inspiration and I miss her terribly every day I think we all do
in a way she added she added a spark to everybody's life that's gone now and we want to back

With Lee Barnett living under an alias and sharing very little about her past, friends like Bruce Michell and Keri Gazzard were in for a surprise when they learned about the secret of the "super mom" they knew as Alex.

Brief Summary

Alex's life in Australia, her extraordinary actions, and the impact of her arrest are discussed by friends and family.

Key points

Alex's Secret Life. No one knew her past, yet she thrived in Australia.
A Mother's Sacrifice. Alex gave up everything to save a baby, showcasing her extraordinary strength.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

She's one in a million, extraordinary.

Describing Alex's uniqueness and strength.

1:32WatchDec 6, 2015

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.