Lismore, New South Wales – People in vulnerable situations are being lured into participating in “healing” ceremonies involving frog poison by individuals posing as health professionals, despite lacking essential first aid skills in emergencies, according to a recent coroner’s investigation.
In 2019, Natasha Lechner, 39, tragically passed away after engaging in a kambo ceremony, derived from a South American practice where poison from the giant monkey frog is applied to burn wounds. While some believe in the healing properties of this ritual, it has been associated with numerous deaths in Australia.
An inquest was conducted over three days to probe the circumstances surrounding Ms. Lechner’s death at Lismore courthouse in May 2023. State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan concluded that the local from Mullumbimby perished due to an adverse cardiac event triggered by the kambo frog toxin’s administration.
Described as “an old soul in a young body” by her father, Ms. Lechner had struggled with multiple chronic health conditions causing her significant pain for years. She became intrigued by alternative medicine and underwent training to become a kambo practitioner, a responsibility she took seriously.
On the day of her passing, Ms. Lechner participated in a kambo ritual with a friend and fellow practitioner at a residence in Mullumbimby. Shortly after receiving the toxin, she began feeling faint, eventually collapsing on the floor and losing consciousness. Paramedics who rushed to the scene were unable to revive her.
Ms. O’Sullivan highlighted in her findings that kambo was largely unregulated at the time of Ms. Lechner’s death. Subsequent regulations now prohibit the manufacture, supply, or use of kambo in NSW without explicit authorization. In some South American nations, kambo has been banned outside its traditional cultural context.
The coroner expressed concerns regarding the vulnerability of individuals drawn to kambo use, especially when those administering it present themselves as healers without adequate training in basic first aid. This lack of preparedness during emergencies poses significant risks to those partaking in such rituals.
An additional inquest is underway examining the passing of Lismore resident Jarrad Antonovich in October 2021. The 46-year-old had consumed the plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca and kambo prior to his demise, leading to a pause in the proceedings as new information surfaced due to public attention.