The family of a young man who died after attending Victoria’s Beyond The Valley music festival earlier this month have said snake venom was found in his system, contradicting initial reports that he may have suffered a drug overdose.
20-year-old La Trobe University politics and history student Callum Edwards was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after attending the festival on the night of Saturday, 29th December, but later died on Wednesday, 2nd January.
Edwards’ family have since told News Corp Australia that those who treated Callum in hospital found venom in his system.
“Tiger snake venom was found in his system,” his brother Liam said. “We definitely know there was a reptile involved,” said Callum’s mother.
Police are currently preparing a report for the coroner, but Callum’s death is not being treated as suspicious.
Beyond The Valley is yet to comment on the claims from Callum’s family.
A 22-year-old Queensland man died after allegedly consuming an “unknown substance” at New South Wales’ Lost Paradise festival during the holiday period, before Falls Festival issued a warning about a “dangerous orange pill” which has been found in circulation.
Earlier this week, a number of Australia’s biggest music festivals released an open letter calling on state and territory governments to allow pill testing trials at local events, in an attempt to prevent drug-related deaths.
