Heartbroken parents demand justice a year after methanol poisoning in Laos
A year after best friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones died after consuming methanol-laced drinks in Laos, their heartbroken families have demanded justice.
Six people, including 19-year-old Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, died after consuming drinks suspected to contain methanol in November last year.
Methanol is an odorless, tasteless and colorless substance that can cause serious illness and death.
It’s been a year since two Melbourne teenagers had the holiday of a lifetime after graduating from high school, staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng while touring Vietnam and Laos.
The other four tourists killed in the drinking incident include British lawyer Simon White, 28, American James Louis Huston, 57, and two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21.
But a year after the deadly incident, heartbroken families have yet to receive answers or justice from those responsible.
Holly’s parents, Shaun and Sam Bowles, said there was “no evidence” the investigation into the six deaths had been completed.
“We didn’t see anything,” Mr. Bowles said.
“Absolutely nothing. I believe everything has been swept under the rug, pushed aside and forgotten.”
Earlier this year, the Laos government recommended filing criminal charges against 13 people allegedly linked to the poisoning.
However, reports emerged that the police were urging the suspects to flee.
“Our understanding is that police officials effectively told the staff at Nana’s to leave town,” Bianca’s father, Mark Jones, said.
He said the Laos government’s failure to find and charge those responsible was a troubling sign.
“This clearly shows that the authorities have no ambition for justice,” Mr Jones said.
“Obviously someone somewhere is covering something up, and it’s clearly coming from pretty high levels of government and/or the police force.”
Bianca’s parents said a heartbreaking silence filled the house following their daughter’s death.
“It’s still very difficult,” Ms. Jones told 60 Minutes.
“We just miss her laugh. We miss her voice. I miss having a woman in the house. So every day is really hard.”
