The heartbroken parents of Timothy Fehring, who died on a school trip in Germany, said the school should have done more to prevent his death. It was meant to be a trip of a lifetime for the 15-year-old Blackburn High School student, but he never made it home alive.
Two staff members chaperoned the 17 students on their 2019 Europe trip. Timothy's death a week into the excursion prompted an overhaul of school staffing requirements on international tours, according to the Daily Mail.
Timothy instantly became ill after departing Melbourne and arriving in Berlin on June 23. He texted his mother, writing that he almost threw up. He added in his text that he is working on getting better to have a better time on the trip.
Parents reject claims their son died due to homesickness
His parents, Dale and Barbara Fehring, said their son was never one to complain. The couple rejected claims their son was simply homesick before his death. Barbara told 9News that Timothy was a super fit and healthy kid, and he would never want to make a fuss or bring attention to himself.
He persisted with activities during the trip but became violently ill, eating very little and vomiting in bins on excursions. A teacher took him to a chemist, and Timothy was given medication after explaining his symptoms. He woke up the next day and asked his mom to get him back home to Australia.
According to the coroner's findings, Timothy expressed dissatisfaction about how he was being treated. He was taken to the Munich Children's Hospital and was thoroughly examined by a doctor, who diagnosed Timothy's illness as a combination of constipation, gastroenteritis, and homesickness.
The group traveled to Vienna, Austria, on June 27 and went on a walking tour of the city that Timothy joined despite asking not to go. According to the coroner's findings, Timothy walked slowly and looked tired while carrying a vomit bag. He asked to go back to the hospital, but the staff denied his request.
Fehrings call for change in teacher and student ratios on overseas trips
After Timothy vomited his dinner that night, the staff contacted his parents, and arrangements were made for him to fly back home. He was taken the next day to see a general practitioner to secure a fit-to-travel certificate so he could make the journey home alone on June 29.
Things took a turn for the worse as the sick teen was found unresponsive on the ground with blood trickling from his nose after walking into the hallway to get some air. He was hospitalized after that but later died on June 28.
An autopsy revealed he had a highly acute infection in his lungs and stomach, and he had suffered a heart attack. The Fehrings said they were not made aware of how sick their child was, and they are now calling for a change in teacher and student ratios for overseas trips, according to news.com.au.
