- Tristian Jaemes Frahm died from brown snake envenomation in Queensland in 2021
- He was bitten after falling off a riding mower on a rural property in Murgon
- His father told him to sleep it off, mistaking symptoms for drunkenness
An 11-year-old boy bitten by a snake in Australia died after his father told him to "sleep it off" instead of reacting quickly and providing him with medical attention. In an inquest document released last week, coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard said Tristian Jaemes Frahm died from extensive internal bleeding due to brown snake envenomation.
Tristian was found dead at a property in Murgon, a rural town in Queensland, approximately 257 kilometres from Brisbane, on November 21, 2021. The snake bit Tristian after he fell off a riding mower, according to a report in USA Today.
"Tristian's death may have been prevented had he received early medical attention," the coroner's 22-page report stated.
"The circumstances in which he passed demonstrate the importance of taking even the possibility of snakebite seriously."
Tristan's father, Kerrod Frahm, alongside two other unnamed adults, received information that the 11-year-old may have been bitten by the snake. The trio checked for bite marks, but in the absence of "any obvious puncture marks", decided to stop investigating further. Frahm told officials he believed his son to be drunk, and that's why he was acting sick.
Afterwards, Frahm told Tristian to "sleep it off", according to the document. However, no alcohol was discovered in the boy's body upon his death.
"It can never be known to what extent Tristian was affected by alcohol, if at all, at that time," the inquest stated, however "it is possible he could have entirely [metabolised] any alcohol consumed earlier."
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After the boy was sent to bed, he experienced symptoms including vomiting and stomach pain. Shortly after 9 am local time on Nov 22, 2021, police arrived at the property and found the boy dead, lying on his back under a sleeping bag on the ground outside.
Authorities who arrived at the property after the child had died said they found "two marks on Tristian's right ankle consistent with a snakebite."
Frahm was initially charged with manslaughter, but the case was discontinued in April of last year. It is unclear why the charge was dismissed.
