At around 5pm on a hot August afternoon in 2015, a 911 call comes in about a fire at a service station in Columbus, Ohio. A man has poured two jerry cans of fuel over his partner, 31-year-old Judy Malinowski, and is watching as flames engulf her.

Judy is rushed to the hospital with 90 per cent of her body burned. Doctors warn her family that her chances of survival are slim, but against all odds, Judy survives. She endures severe ongoing pain and dozens of surgeries in the years that follow, dying two years after being set on fire. After she dies, she becomes the first person in history to testify at her own murder trial.

Director Patricia Gillespie seeks to honour Judy’s remarkable strength and raise awareness about domestic violence in her documentary, The Fire That Took Her. You can watch it here.

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CREDITS

Guest: Patricia Gillespie

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

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