A hospital in Bali has denied any involvement in the alleged theft of organs after the body of a young Australian man, Byron Haddow, was found dead in his villa’s plunge pool while on vacation. His body was returned to Australia without his heart four weeks later, prompting officials from Australia to request an explanation from their Indonesian counterparts.
The director of medical nursing and support at Prof Ngoerah hospital, I Made Darmajaya, stressed that the hospital had nothing to do with the missing heart, stating that they had performed a forensic autopsy on Haddow’s body at the request of the local police. Darmajaya emphasized that there were no intentions to withhold the heart from the family, and that their primary interest was to conduct an examination in accordance with the law.
The hospital director explained that Haddow’s heart was repatriated to Australia separately because it took a long time to process it in order to meet the requirements for a pathological examination. A spokesperson from Australia’s foreign ministry said they were providing consular assistance to Haddow’s family but could not provide further comment due to privacy obligations.
This incident has raised “serious questions” about medical practices in Bali, according to Ni Luh Arie Ratna Sukasari, a legal representative of Haddow’s family. Haddow’s heart was finally returned to Queensland in August, more than two months after his passing.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/25/byron-haddow-australian-man-bali-hospital-denies-organ-theft-allegations
