Australian family demands action one year after son's Bali death

Sunshine Coast man Byron Dumschat died in Bali last year. (Supplied: Haddow family) Link copiedShareShare articleOne year since their 23-year-old son died while holidaying at a villa in Bali, a heartbroken Sunshine Coast couple say they still haven't received a police report. Byron Dumschat, also known as Byron Haddow, died on May 26, 2025 at The Grove Bumbak, in Bali's Seminyak area, where he had been staying with a friend. The scene of his death was cleaned up before any evidence could be collected and the matter wasn't reported to Bali police for four days. Australian police initially told his parents, Robert and Chantal Haddow, that he drowned at a villa. Byron Dumschat worked as a fly-in fly-out worker in Australian mines. (Supplied: Haddow family) But his parents said an autopsy revealed there was no water in his lungs. "He grew up around the water … fishing, camping, and boating. There's no way he could drown in a little villa pool," Mr Haddow said. Three young Australians who reportedly witnessed his death left the country before they could be interviewed by Bali police. Byron Dumschat's parents were devastated by his death. (Supplied: Haddow family) A forensic examination in Bali concluded there were high levels of alcohol in the young man's system, along with an antidepressant. It also confirmed there were bruises to the left side of his forehead, right eyelid, and right knee due to "blunt force trauma". Balinese police wanted to speak to Mr Dumschat's friend and two women who were at his villa before his death in the hope of shedding light on his final hours. Byron Dumschat was holidaying at a villa in Bali when he died. (Supplied: Haddow family) Mr Dumschat's parents said their son's friend and two women who were at his villa before his death had given "conflicting" accounts to them and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). "He was developing into a young man pretty quick and we were just so proud of him," Mr Haddow said. The ABC is not suggesting any wrongdoing by the three Australian witnesses involved. Byron Dumschat's mother says he had a "heart of gold". (Supplied: Haddow family) The AFP declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong was contacted for comment. "The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [DFAT] has provided consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Indonesia in 2025," a department spokesperson said in a statement. "Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment." Robert and Chantal Haddow are disappointed by what they say is a lack of transparency from authorities. (ABC News: Madeline Grace) DFAT does not have the authority to review police investigations in other countries, just as foreign embassy officials cannot do so in Australia. Originally Mr Dumschat's body was returned to Australia without his heart, but this had since been rectified. DFAT officials made representations to Indonesian authorities regarding the case, including about the hospital's failure to notify the family about the autopsy process. As a result, Bali's Prof. Ngoerah Hospital has changed its procedures to notify families where an organ needs to be retained during a forensic autopsy process. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland confirmed the coronial investigation into the death but said no further information could be provided. The ABC understands police from Bali's Badung regency were still actively investigating Mr Dumschat's death. The Haddow family wants the Australian government to further investigate Byron Dumschat's death. (Supplied: The Haddow family) A progress report, requested by the Haddows' legal team, revealed that Bali police had received "interrogation records" and witness statements taken by the AFP of the three Australians who were thought to have been with the Sunshine Coast man when he died. Police have also reinterviewed the manager of the villa where Mr Dumschat was found dead. The document revealed police planned to seek additional expert testimony and information from a forensic doctor. Balinese police declined to respond to questions from the ABC. The Haddow family wants action from the Indonesian police following Byron Dumschat's death in Bali. (Supplied: Haddow family) "We have been left navigating unimaginable grief alongside confusion, unanswered questions, and a lack of transparency," Mrs Haddow said. The Haddow family recently launched a petition demanding action from the federal government to ensure this wouldn't happen in the future to another Australian family. "No family should have to fight for the truth when a loved one dies overseas," Mrs Haddow said. "We've had to go out on our own and try and figure it all out," Mr Haddow said. "We're not getting transparency back from anyone." "There's just too many things that don't add up," Mrs Haddow added. Chantal and Robert Haddow want the three Australian witne

Australian family demands action one year after son's Bali death

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