Australian Man Who Died in Bali Returned Without Heart, Family Reveals
The family of Byron Haddow, a 23-year-old man from Noosa, Australia, has revealed a distressing discovery following his death in Bali earlier this year: his heart was missing when his body was repatriated to Australia. The organ had been removed and retained in Indonesia without the knowledge or consent of his family, raising serious concerns regarding the handling of Australian citizens’ remains abroad.
Shocking Discovery During Second Autopsy
The unsettling fact came to light only after a second autopsy was conducted in Queensland. Byron’s parents, Robert and Chantal Haddow, expressed deep anguish over the situation. “We have endured delay after delay, half-truths, and silence,” they said in a statement via their legal representatives based in Bali. “His body was returned nearly four weeks after his death. But two days before his funeral, we were informed by the Queensland Coroner that his heart had been taken and left behind in Bali — without our knowledge, without our consent, and without any legal or moral justification.”
Circumstances of Byron’s Death and Suspicious Details
Byron Haddow’s death occurred on May 26, when he was found unconscious floating in a private pool in Bali. The cause of death was initially reported as drowning on his death certificate issued at Bali’s BIMC private hospital, but the certificate has since been questioned. Byron was a strong swimmer, and the pool was only 150cm deep, whereas he was 178cm tall. Additionally, multiple bruises and cuts, as well as blood on towels wrapping the body, raised suspicions of foul play.
Delays, Autopsy Requests, and Indonesian Police Involvement
The death was not reported to Bali police until May 30, four days after Byron’s passing, by which time crucial evidence at the scene may have been compromised. Following the family’s request, arranged through an Australian friend in Bali, the body was sent to Ngurah General Hospital’s forensic medicine specialist, Dr. Nola Margaret Gunawan, for an autopsy.
Originally, a clinical autopsy was requested by the family’s representative, with the explicit note that the family wanted Byron’s entire body returned. However, during the preparation period (including freezing and thawing), Bali’s provincial police requested a forensic autopsy — a legally mandated examination designed for suspicious deaths, which allows for more invasive procedures including organ removal without family consent under Indonesian law.
Forensic Autopsy and Legal Justification
Dr. Gunawan explained that forensic autopsies supersede clinical requests and do not require next-of-kin consent for organ retention, as outlined in the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code. “If there are two requests for autopsies, obviously we have to give more priority to the legal matter,” she said. She also stated that she never saw the family’s email requesting the whole body’s return but would have proceeded with the forensic autopsy regardless, given its legal importance.
The forensic autopsy concluded that Byron’s probable cause of death was a combination of alcohol intoxication and the effects of the antidepressant Duloxetine, which may have impaired his ability to escape the pool. However, the autopsy could not explain the numerous cuts and bruises on his body or definitively determine whether his death was accidental, suicide, or homicide.
Ongoing Investigation and Family’s Pursuit of Answers
Byron’s death remains under investigation in Queensland, with the Coroners Court conducting an open coronial inquiry. A spokesperson confirmed the referral of the case by the Attorney-General but could not provide further details at this time. The Haddow family only learned about the missing heart after the body’s return to Australia, a discovery that devastated them.
“When I heard the news, my heart literally dropped,” said Byron’s mother, Chantal Haddow. “We thought at least we could say goodbye to him and lay him to rest. But then to learn they’d taken his heart, and no one else knew — not even the Australian consulate in Bali — it was a big shock.”
Implications for Repatriation Procedures
This case highlights significant concerns about the processes involved in repatriating Australians who die overseas, particularly in jurisdictions with differing legal and forensic protocols. The Haddow family’s experience stresses the emotional toll on loved ones and the need for greater transparency and respect in handling human remains internationally.
Bali remains a highly popular destination for Australian travelers, many of whom regard the island as a holiday haven. The Haddows hope that Byron’s story will prompt improvements in procedures to prevent similar situations from recurring in the future.
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