Authorities in Australia announced that the dad of a boy who died of a snakebite last year was charged with manslaughter for allegedly ignoring the injury of his son until it was too late.
According to a report from News.com.au, Tristan Frahm died on November 20, 2021, just hours after the 11-year-old boy was bit by the snake at a friend's house near Murgon, Queensland.
A year-long investigation into the child's death called Operation Uniform Weave later revealed that Tristan pleaded with his dad, Kerrod Frahm, for help as his symptoms worsened. Unfortunately, the kid's pleas were dismissed by the 31-year-old father with Tristan later found unresponsive outside the family's residence.
Tristan found dead near a shed after dad ignored his pleas
According to the Daily Mail, dad Kerrod and son Tristan went to bed sometime after the boy told his father about the snakebite, during which his condition quickly deteriorated. It was understood that the boy got out of bed during the night to be ill before the kid's lifeless body was found outside near a shed the next morning.
Kerrod was officially charged with manslaughter on Monday night. He was expected to appear on December 6 in the Murgon Magistrates Court. The Australian Criminal Law Group said that if convicted of manslaughter, he could face the maximum penalty of up to 25 years' imprisonment.
Relative Gemma Thorley paid tribute to her nephew Tristan in an emotional post on Facebook shortly after his death, calling the young boy a little hero. She wrote that she was so beyond lost for words and the heartbreak is unimaginable.
Aunt Gemma still in disbelief with death of her beloved nephew
She added she was still in disbelief and could not be any luckier to have had a nephew like him. She then thanked Tristan for making her an aunty, telling him that she loved him more than she ever thought possible. She concluded her message by writing that she misses him more and more every minute and that there will be a you-sized hole in her heart forever.
Thorley shared videos and photos of young Tristan enjoying his life to the fullest. The kid was seen ice skating and playing games as Thorley paid a heartbreaking tribute to him.
Although the country of Australia is no stranger to dangerous snakes, only two people die on average every year from venomous bites. Another 30,000 Australians are typically bitten annually, but these victims Down Under are quickly treated and they make full recoveries.
Murgon, the place where Tristian died due to a snakebite, is a small rural town with a population of 2,378. It is located 260 kilometers north of Brisbane.
According to Australian Geographic, the five most dangerous snakes in the country are the Eastern brown snake, Western brown snake, Mainland tiger snake, Inland taipan, and Coastal taipan.
