Bali hospital denies organ-trafficking claims as Haddow heart returns to Australia
Ngoerah Hospital says the heart was kept for forensic testing after an autopsy; Australian family seeks answers as coronial investigation continues.
A Bali hospital has rejected accusations of organ theft after the body of Byron Haddow, a 23-year-old Australian tradie from Noosa, was returned to Australia without his heart. Prof Ngoerah Hospital in Denpasar said the heart was retained for forensic testing following an autopsy, a clarification that local media reported on Thursday night.
Mr Haddow was found unconscious in his private villa in North Kuta on May 26 while holidaying with a friend. The death certificate lists drowning, but a Bali coroner’s finding described a lethal combination of alcohol and an antidepressant. Haddow’s family has described his death as highly suspicious and has pressed for answers about how his body and the heart were processed after his death.
The heart’s absence was only noticed two days before Haddow’s funeral, and it was later returned to Queensland on August 11. The hospital did not provide an explanation for why the organ had been withheld, and it has denied allegations that the removal was connected to a broader organ-trafficking scheme. A hospital statement described the organ’s retention as part of forensic work related to the autopsy, and it said the hospital charged about 700 Australian dollars to cover the cost of returning the organ.
Lawyers for the Haddow family questioned the legal basis for keeping the heart, whether consent to retain it was ever sought, and why a separate autopsy on the heart was performed. They said DNA testing to confirm the organ’s identity is ongoing in Australia, with no final determination yet.
The case remains under an open coronial inquiry in Queensland, while Bali police have asked for assistance from the Australian Federal Police and the Australian consulate to summon two women described as Haddow’s friends for questioning. Authorities have indicated they are pursuing these witnesses as part of the investigation, though statements from the Consulate have not been publicly disclosed.
As the coronal process continues, Haddow’s family has emphasized their wish for transparency from Ngoerah Hospital and Indonesian authorities. The family previously launched a GoFundMe page to support repatriation and subsequent arrangements, underscoring the emotional and financial toll of the case as investigators work to establish a clear sequence of events surrounding Haddow’s death and the handling of the heart.