‘Overwhelming sadness’ as teen dies after snake bite
A family is mourning a Queensland teenager who died after a “freak accident” involving a suspected snakebite in his own backyard.
Beau Horan, 16, was in the garden of the family home in Wurdong Heights, a rural area of Gladstone, when he felt a “scratch” on his foot.
Stepsister Monique Eddy told the ABC Beau came inside saying he felt unwell and collapsed, suffering a head injury as he fell.
Paramedics were called to the property in central Queensland and found a snakebite at the back of his foot, she said.
It is reported the bite is suspected to be from an eastern brown snake.
The ambulance service said Beau collapsed about 1:50pm on Monday. He was taken to Gladstone Hospital in a life-threatening condition.
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He was flown to the Royal Brisbane Hospital and was placed on life support.
Sky News reports the family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support, and Beau died on Thursday morning.
Family friend Shaun Connolly said the teenager was a “vibrant, compassionate, loving young man with so much to live for with a bright future ahead of him”.
“His passing has left an indescribable emptiness in our hearts and the family,” Connolly wrote in an appeal on GoFundMe.
Eastern brown snakes are considered to be the world’s second most venomous terrestrial snakes.
‘Painless’ snake bites
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Snake catcher Troy Hovenden said people would be surprised to know that bites from eastern brown snakes are “painless”.
“Most often when people get bitten by snakes it’s because the person was doing something silly with the snake, but in this case Beau was bitten on the foot and wasn’t aware that he had even been bitten,” he posted.
“There have been cases when people have been bitten but thought it was just a scratch from a stick.
“Consequently the person brushes it off and keeps walking along completely unaware of the situation.
“Brown snake venom can take effect very quickly so before long the bitten person begins to feel unwell and collapses.”
In 2023, nearly 1000 people reported eastern brown snake bites to Queensland emergency services.
The GoFundMe appeal aims to raise money for Beau’s mum, Bek Eddy, to help with medical and funeral costs.
“Your generosity will provide Bek and Beau’s family with some relief as the family navigate this overwhelming loss,” the appeal says.
“Any support you can offer would mean the world to the family during this incredibly difficult time.”
– with AAP
