health
February 10, 2026
Parents of Melbourne methanol-poisoning victims ‘shocked’ by $185 fines handed to Laos hostel staff
Fathers of Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, who died after a night out at the Nana backpackers hostel in 2024, say court decision is ‘absolute injustice’
TL;DR
- Families of Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, who died from methanol poisoning in Laos, are shocked by $185 fines given to hostel staff.
- The families were unaware of the court case, which was for destroying evidence and did not directly relate to their daughters' deaths.
- The Australian government is engaging with Lao authorities to demand accountability for the deaths.
- Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the fines as "heartbreaking" and not a real punishment.
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