11-Year-Old Boy Died of Snakebite After His Dad Sent Him to Bed to ‘Sleep It Off’ Thinking He’d Been Drinking Alcohol

An 11-year-old boy in Australia died from a snakebite after his father told him to “sleep it off,” believing the child had consumed alcohol, an inquest has revealed.

On Nov. 21, 2021, Tristian James Frahm was found dead at his family’s property in Murgon, a rural town in Queensland’s South Burnett Region.

An autopsy determined that Tristian “died from extensive internal bleeding due to brown snake envenomation,” according to a Coroners Court of Queensland inquest document.

The report explained that brown snake venom can trigger venom-induced consumption coagulopathy (VICC), a condition that prevents blood from clotting properly. While major hemorrhage is rare, it occurs in about three percent of brown snake bites.

On Oct. 15, coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard found that three adults — including Tristian’s father, Kerrod Frahm — were aware of the possibility that Tristian had been bitten by a snake after falling off a ride-on mower the day before his death.

They examined him for bite marks, but when none were visible and believing he had earlier consumed alcohol, they assumed his symptoms were due to drinking. According to the coroner’s findings, the adults “sent him to bed to sleep it off” instead of seeking medical care.

“Tristian’s death may have been prevented had he received early medical attention,” the findings stated. His father reportedly believed his son had drunk three cans of alcohol and was simply unwell from that.

After being sent to bed, Tristian was checked on periodically through the night but developed worsening symptoms — including vomiting, abdominal pain, and fatigue — over the next 10 hours.

Toxicology results showed no alcohol in Tristian’s system. The inquest report noted, “It can never be known to what extent Tristian was affected by alcohol, if at all… no alcohol was detected in postmortem samples.”

Emergency physician Dr. Mark Little told the inquest that even without considering a possible snakebite, the symptoms — nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain — could also align with mild concussion or alcohol use. He added that he understood how the adults might have connected the fall and Tristian’s behavior to drinking rather than a medical emergency.

Associate Professor Katherine Isoardi also noted that Tristian’s symptoms were non-specific and could have been mistaken for another illness.

When authorities arrived the following morning, they found “two marks on Tristian’s right ankle consistent with a snakebite,” according to the inquest.

Tristian “would more likely than not have survived” if he had received prompt medical attention, as doctors likely would have detected the bite and treated him accordingly.

Tristian’s father was initially charged with manslaughter but the case was discontinued on April 12, 2024.

“This tragedy shows how critical early medical treatment is in snakebite cases,” coroner Kirkegaard said, according to 7News.