Inquest hears father unaware of 11yo Murgon boy's fatal snakebite

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2 days ago

A Queensland father has told a coronial inquest he was not aware his 11-year-old son had been bitten by a brown snake and did not think it was necessary to call emergency services in the hours before he died.
Tristian James Frahm, 11, died on or about November 21, 2021, at a Murgon property, three hours north of Brisbane.
A coronial inquest into Tristian's death began in Toowoomba on Monday.
Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard will examine the events leading up to Tristian's death and the public awareness of snakebite symptoms and first aid treatments.
An autopsy found the boy died from brown snake venom in his system, likely from the snakebite found on his right ankle bone.
The inquest heard the boy was discovered in a paddock after falling off a ride-on mower on the afternoon of November 20, 2021.
Tristian's father, Kerrod James Frahm, told the inquest on Monday he went to bring his son back from the paddock, where he had found him sitting upright and conscious.
Mr Frahm said his son had complained of a sore stomach and feeling sick, but told him nothing about being bitten by a snake.
He said Tristian had vomited at least twice in the hours since the mower incident.
Mr Frahm said he checked his son for any injuries after he first vomited but could not see any obvious marks, including a snakebite.
"I did check him over for scuff marks and stuff," he said.
"We were out cutting wood throughout that day, and he had a few scratch marks on his arms as well."
Detective Senior Constable Benjamin Van Der Lugt led the investigation into Tristian's death.
He told the inquest there was evidence gathered during the investigation that the boy had told someone he had been bitten by a snake.
However, he said police were also told that Tristian had been joking about the snakebite.
Mr Frahm told the inquest he understood Tristian had earlier in the day "snuck" three cans of bourbon from an esky on the property and likely drunk them.
Counsel assisting the coroner Sarah Ford asked Mr Frahm whether he had assumed Tristian's stomach complaints were due to drinking alcohol, to which he agreed.
"He just kept saying he had pain in the belly and wanted to lay down," Mr Frahm said.
"If I needed to [get medical attention] I would have, I wasn't aware of the snakebite at the time."
The inquest heard Mr Frahm had two friends, Jacob Bryant and Rochelle Dorman, staying at the property when his son died.
Mr Bryant told the inquest he recalled Mr Frahm being present when it was first suggested Tristian had been bitten by a snake.
"We all started searching his legs, myself, Rochelle and Kerrod to see if we could see any signs of a snakebite but there was no evidence," Mr Bryant said.
"[We were] looking over his legs and feet for anything that was there, then that's where the conclusion [came from Tristian that he was] intoxicated."
Later, Magistrate Kirkegaard asked Ms Dorman whether Mr Frahm was present while she and Mr Bryant checked for any signs of a snakebite.
Ms Dorman said Mr Frahm was elsewhere at the time and agreed Mr Bryant's "memory could be distorted".
Mr Frahm said he discovered Tristian's body between 7am and 8am on November 21.
The inquest heard phone reception was poor at the property and a person would have to travel a few minutes before being able to make a call.
Police originally charged Mr Frahm with manslaughter for failing to uphold his duty of care to his son, but the Director of Public Prosecution dropped the charge in April 2024.
Tristian's maternal grandmother, Samantha Skerritt, told the inquest her grandson was a "truly remarkable soul".
She said he was "wise and kind beyond his years" with a "heart so big it touched everyone around him".
"He was our light, our joy, our everything and the love he gave will forever be held in our hearts," Ms Skerritt said.
The coronial inquest continues.