When young Tristian Frahm ventured to his father’s rural property near Murgon, Queensland, it was intended to be a leisurely weekend focused on family time.
However, within a day, the weekend shifted into an unimaginable tragedy.
The 11-year-old was engaged in assisting his dad, Kerrod, with various tasks on the bush block alongside two other boys.
The area was encircled by dense scrub, a habitat known for brown snakes and red-bellied black snakes. Despite this, the boys were riding the mower barefoot, laughing and generally having fun.
Around 3:30pm, Tristian and his stepbrother took the ride-on mower down to the creek to swim.
After Tristian fell off, he suggested to his stepbrother that he might have been bitten by a snake. The stepbrother, however, believed it was just a stick, and the adults later could not find any fang marks.
Upon returning to the camp, Tristian appeared pale and disoriented. He was slurring his words, unsteady on his feet, and vomiting.
According to the inquest document by the Coroners Court of Queensland, as reported by 7News and People, witness Jacob Bryant mentioned that someone speculated the boys had taken alcohol from the esky.
Kerrod, convinced by this theory, reportedly instructed his son to ‘sleep it off’.
Tristian was then washed off in the shower and advised to ‘sleep it off.’ His condition deteriorated throughout the night. He vomited multiple times, complained of severe stomach pain, and eventually collapsed outside the donga. His younger brother’s attempt to awaken their father for help was unsuccessful.
By the following morning, Tristian had passed away. He succumbed not to alcohol, but to a fatal brown snake bite, which was indeed the cause of his symptoms.
The inquest later determined that Tristian’s death was due to brown snake envenomation, a rare consequence of a snakebite (with only about a 3% probability) that can lead to internal bleeding and cardiac failure, which was the case for Tristian.
Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard concluded that the tragedy was ‘potentially’ preventable. She noted that if Tristian had received timely medical care, he ‘would more likely than not have survived’.
The inquest also highlighted that the family property lacked phone reception, a first aid kit, and internet, although it was merely a ten-minute drive from Murgon Hospital. Experts noted that brown snake bites often leave no visible signs, and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness may manifest before collapse.
Dr. Mark Little, a toxicologist and emergency physician, informed the court that only about 20 percent of people bitten by snakes in Australia receive appropriate first aid prior to hospital arrival.
On the subject, Coroner Kirkegaard emphasized: “People must take even the possibility of a snakebite seriously by immediately calling emergency services, applying a pressure bandage, and keeping the person still.”
Kirkegaard further remarked: “It is only with the benefit of hindsight that the actions and inaction of the adults can be considered lacking,” while urging Australians to treat any suspected snakebite as an emergency.
In the inquest document, she concluded her report with a poignant message: “Let this be Tristian’s legacy.”