BALI: The mysterious death of 23-year-old Australian Byron Haddow in Bali has left his family searching for answers. Found dead in a villa swimming pool on May 26, his passing was officially listed as a drowning. However, his relatives have expressed deep suspicion over the circumstances, pointing to Byron’s strong swimming abilities, visible injuries on his body, and the pool’s shallow depth of only 150 centimeters — considerably less than his 178-centimeter height. These factors have led the family to question whether foul play may have been involved.
The situation was further complicated by delays and a lack of transparency from authorities. Indonesian police did not inform the family of Byron’s death for four days, a period during which vital evidence may have been lost or compromised. This delay heightened the family’s frustration and suspicion, especially given the already puzzling details surrounding the case.
When the body was eventually returned to Australia, another distressing revelation emerged: Byron’s heart was missing. Despite the family’s repeated requests to return his body intact, a judicial autopsy had been conducted without their knowledge, during which organs, including the heart, were removed. The family has described this as a breach of trust and an additional source of trauma during an already painful time.
After months of negotiations and a four-week delay, Byron’s heart was finally retrieved, but only after the family paid AU$700 for its transport. This prolonged process meant they missed the intended burial timeline, compounding their grief. The case has drawn attention to issues of international jurisdiction, communication failures, and the challenges families face when seeking justice and closure for loved ones who die abroad.
