An Australian national, Byron Haddow, 23, died while on holiday in Bali. The tourist from Queensland was discovered lifeless in the swimming pool of a villa where he had been staying. His body was later repatriated to Australia approximately four weeks after his death.
According to a report from Agence France-Presse, when an autopsy was conducted in Australia, medical examiners found that Haddow’s heart was missing. The discovery has prompted inquiries by Australian authorities and raised questions about the handling of the body while in Bali.
Canberra Requests Explanations
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular support to Haddow’s family. A spokesperson said on Tuesday that no further details could be shared due to privacy obligations.
“They just called us to ask if we knew that his heart was kept in Bali,” Haddow’s mother, Chantal, said while speaking to local Australian media outlet Channel Nine.
“I feel like something is wrong. I think something had happened to him before he was in the pool,” Haddow’s mother said in a statement.
Senior Australian officials in Bali and Jakarta have formally communicated the concerns to the Indonesian government. The Consulate General of Australia in Bali has also relayed the family’s concerns to the hospital that carried out the initial autopsy in Indonesia.
Forensic Response in Bali
The doctor who performed the initial autopsy in Bali has rejected claims of wrongdoing. Local forensic authorities have not acknowledged any error in their handling of Haddow’s remains.
Indonesian authorities have issued no official statement beyond the forensic denial of fault. The timeline and circumstances surrounding the removal or absence of the heart remain unclear.
“For forensic purposes, his heart has been examined and left behind when the family returns his body,” Dr Nola Margaret Gunawan told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Monday.
“I have given the autopsy results and explanation to the family. They have accepted my explanation,” he said.
Current Status
Currently, Australian officials are continuing to pursue explanations through diplomatic and forensic channels. Investigations in Canberra are ongoing, with no conclusion released regarding how or why Haddow’s heart was missing when his body arrived in Australia.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has reiterated its commitment to assisting the Haddow family while the matter remains under review.
