Australian Families Left 'Blindsided' by $185 Fine for Hostel Staff Over Daughter's Methanol Poisoning Death
A year after two Melbourne teenagers died from methanol poisoning at a popular backpackers hostel in Laos, their families have expressed shock and outrage over the lenient fines handed down to staff members. The workers were found guilty of destroying evidence related to the American tourist's death but received a paltry $185 fine each with suspended sentences.
Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, died in November last year along with four other tourists after drinking methanol-laced alcohol at Nana backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng. Their families had been kept in the dark about the court outcome, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade only informing them yesterday.
"We were shocked by the absolute injustice for our girls and the others," said Shaun Bowles, Bianca's father. "We have had no correspondence with anyone from the Laos government. We had no idea the court case was going ahead."
Mark Jones, Holly's father, echoed his sentiments, stating, "We're out of options. It's pretty devastating." The department has apologized for failing to keep the families informed about the outcome.
Australia's foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has urged Lao authorities to take full accountability and ensure charges reflect the seriousness of the tragedy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also pledged support to the victims' families, saying the recent events have "added to the heartbreak" they are already experiencing.
The Laotian government had vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law, but the fine handed down to staff members seems to be a far cry from that promise. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the court outcome as "heartbreaking," calling it "a slap on the wrist."
As the families continue to seek justice for their daughters' deaths, the leniency of the fines raises questions about the effectiveness of Lao authorities in holding those responsible accountable.
A year after two Melbourne teenagers died from methanol poisoning at a popular backpackers hostel in Laos, their families have expressed shock and outrage over the lenient fines handed down to staff members. The workers were found guilty of destroying evidence related to the American tourist's death but received a paltry $185 fine each with suspended sentences.
Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, died in November last year along with four other tourists after drinking methanol-laced alcohol at Nana backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng. Their families had been kept in the dark about the court outcome, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade only informing them yesterday.
"We were shocked by the absolute injustice for our girls and the others," said Shaun Bowles, Bianca's father. "We have had no correspondence with anyone from the Laos government. We had no idea the court case was going ahead."
Mark Jones, Holly's father, echoed his sentiments, stating, "We're out of options. It's pretty devastating." The department has apologized for failing to keep the families informed about the outcome.
Australia's foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has urged Lao authorities to take full accountability and ensure charges reflect the seriousness of the tragedy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also pledged support to the victims' families, saying the recent events have "added to the heartbreak" they are already experiencing.
The Laotian government had vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law, but the fine handed down to staff members seems to be a far cry from that promise. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the court outcome as "heartbreaking," calling it "a slap on the wrist."
As the families continue to seek justice for their daughters' deaths, the leniency of the fines raises questions about the effectiveness of Lao authorities in holding those responsible accountable.
These guys should be locked up for life, not get a slap on the wrist 
. Families left 'blindsided', yeah, that's exactly what they were – blindsided by the leniency of the system 
. Should be suspended sentences with fines to compensate victims' families, not just some paltry amount 
it's not just the fine itself, it's the fact that they got off with suspended sentences too. it's like the whole thing was swept under the rug. my grandma would have given them a good scolding if she knew about this 
I think this is a real head-scratcher. $185 as punishment? That's like, what even is that? For destroying evidence in something that led to two deaths? 
The government's all like "we're sorry" but it doesn't feel like a genuine apology. 
! Like, what are they even supposed to do with that money? Pay off some debt or something? It's just so underwhelming. I think it's actually a relief they got some kind of punishment at all. destroying evidence can't be taken lightly, but fines shouldn't be the only thing on the table.
i feel so bad for the families, they had no idea what was going on and now they're left to deal with the aftermath. it's just not right 
. And that the Lao authorities said they would bring the perpetrators to justice but clearly didn't follow through... it's just heartbreaking 
. Our Aussie government is trying to put pressure on them to do better, which is good, I guess 
. But really, what's going on in Laos? It feels like they're not taking this seriously at all 
.
It's unacceptable that staff members got away with it so lightly 
We need to know what happened in court & why those responsible aren't being held accountable 
. The families deserve so much more than this. It's not just about the money; it's about justice for Bianca and Holly 
. The fact that they didn't even get to know what was happening until yesterday is just mind-boggling... can you imagine how hard that must be on them? 
. This whole situation is a real concern and I hope something changes soon 
.
it's like they're playing a cruel joke on the families! 
. can we pls get some clarity on how these ppl are gonna face real consequences for their actions? 
I'm all for holding people accountable, but this feels more like a slap on the wrist than justice. It's gonna take more than just a fine to fix this...