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The death of 32-year-old Australian man Rory Sykes in the devastating Los Angeles Palisades fire in January 2025 was described by police as a tragic accident. His mother Shelley spoke publicly about her grief, sharing stories of her disabled son who had defied the odds throughout his life.

But instead of compassion, what followed was a torrent of online abuse and dark conspiracy theories, with trolls levelling heinous accusations against a mother mourning her child.

In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by 7News Spotlight investigative journalist Sarah Greenhalgh, who set out to understand why Shelley Sykes became a target.

You can watch Spotlight on 7Plus

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: What happened to Rory Sykes? The Aussie LA fires victim