Chantal and Robbie Haddow are yet to find a moment of peace to properly grieve their son.
It has been almost a year since Byron, 23, was found at the bottom of a plunge pool while on holiday in Bali.
Not only was it a harrowingly unexpected way to lose a child, Byron's death is still shrouded in uncomfortable mystery over 11 months on.
The heartbroken Queensland parents just want answers: What really happened to Byron?
READ MORE: Zoe was fined $300 after forgetting her car. This is the hidden cost of ADHD
READ MORE: Residents of trendy Melbourne suburb lose bid to block 24/7 McDonald's store
"There's just so many inconsistencies surrounding the time of the event, what was done, and what wasn't done," Byron's dad Robbie told Nine.com.au.
"Just a major lack of transparency. We feel like we've been failed."
Byron, a FIFO worker who worked in the Northern Territory, was found floating unconscious in the shallow pool on May 26 while on a 12-day trip to the Indonesian island.
The forensic report found Byron had alcohol and a prescription-only drug called duloxetine, which is used to treat pain, depression and anxiety, in his system.
He also had cuts and bruises on his face, but two autopsies were not able to conclusively confirm his cause of death.
Byron's family were told he had drowned, however the matter was not reported to Balinese police for four days.
"During his service, I could not stop thinking about that it was not his entire body there... lying in the coffin."
They suspect something sinister happened before Byron's death.
But Chantal and Robbie say they were stonewalled by authorities in Bali, which was made worse by the language barrier.
"It was at a standstill for so long," Chantal said.
The couple want Balinese authorities and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to re-investigate Byron's death and for a coronial inquiry to take place.
In a positive development, the initial Balinese investigation report was signed off pn this week and is now in the hands of the Queensland Coroners Court.
Now it's a waiting game as the family pushes for a coronial inquest.
"That is our little step of progress," Chantal said.
As part of an inquest, Robbie said he wants the CCTV from the villa to be properly reviewed.
He has spent hours studying the footage and audio "over and over again".
READ MORE: Neil wants pokies machines to play 'losing sounds'. Here's why
"[Balinese police] have had that CCTV footage for as long as we have, we would hope that they've reviewed it in as much detail as we have, but there's just so many inconsistencies," he said.
"We've got like four hours of audio. And it seems pretty black-and-white.
"It's obvious that there's pieces of this story missing."
The Haddows also want authorities to speak to three Australians that Byron had met and was partying with in the hours before he died.
There is no evidence to suggest the trio are responsible for Byron's death, but the family's lawyers are concerned they were not interviewed.
They returned home to Australia before speaking to police.
"We just want answers," Robbie added.
"We can cop an accidental death. But with the two autopsies, one performed over in Indonesia, and one performed over here in Queensland, it's still inclusive of the cause of death.
"It's one thing losing a child... it's another thing not knowing how or why."
Further compounding the Haddow family's grief was the fact Byron's body was repatriated to Queensland with a vital organ missing on June 18.
The Queensland coroner discovered his heart had been taken out for testing during the original autopsy in Bali.
"With all the hoops we had to jump through to actually give them permission to perform an autopsy... you would think, that we would have had to do the same to give our consent for them to retain an organ," Robbie said.
"During his service, I could not stop thinking about how it was not his entire body there... lying in the coffin."
"His heart was still missing, it was still overseas. It was incredibly distressing."
READ MORE: Your identity could be for sale for as little as $200 on the dark web
The past 11 months have been a brutal exercise in pushing grief aside as the couple pursues the truth.
They miss their son every day, someone they describe as a "wise old soul" with a "good head on his shoulders".
"This has actually stopped the grieving process," Robbie said.
"I haven't had time to grieve with away working all the time, FIFO, and then when I come home on break, I'm just studying everything.
"Its not fair on the families that are left to try and pick up the pieces."
The Haddows have started a petition to change how overseas death investigations are handled in Australia as part of their crusade for answers.
Nine.com.au has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for comment.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
from 9News https://ift.tt/jAWMsyi
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment