Frog poison ceremony leader charged with manslaughter A ritual leader has become the second person charged over the death of a paying customer who died after taking a mix of dangerous drugs at a spiritual retreat. AAP · Mar 30
Psychedelics death leads to charge for retreat operator A man has been charged with manslaughter more than four years after his spiritual retreat client died following consuming psychedelics and frog poison. AAP · Mar 5
Homicide detectives investigate death of man who consumed frog toxins and ayahuasca at NSW spiritual retreat Police raid Collins Creek property where 46-year-old Jarrad Antonovich died after taking Amazonian ‘medicines’ in 2021 The Guardian - AU · Nov 5, 2024
A ‘vulnerable’ soul sought healing at a NSW spiritual retreat. Questions remain over his agonising death Jarrad Antonovich died after consuming the frog toxin kambo and psychedelic ayahuasca. Now, prosecutors are considering criminal charges The Guardian - AU · May 24, 2024
Charges possible as inquest into kambo death suspended Two key witnesses did not give evidence about a man's death during an alternative health retreat after a coroner suspended an inquest, citing potential charges. AAP · May 23, 2024
Frog toxin used at retreat where Jarrad Antonovich died caused woman to faint and soil herself, inquest hears Participant in ‘kambo’ ritual tells Byron Bay courtroom of ‘extreme experience’ with drug made from Amazonian frog secretions The Guardian - AU · May 23, 2024
Kambo user's heartfelt message echoes after his death A man who died after taking poison and hallucinogens had written a book about his history of mental health and substance abuse issues, hoping to inspire others. AAP · May 23, 2024
Inquest hears claim spiritual leaders conspired to mislead police about Jarrad Antonovich’s death after ‘kambo’ ritual Antonovich died during a six-day retreat in NSW’s northern rivers after he took a cocktail of alternative ‘medicines’ The Guardian - AU · May 22, 2024
Man's kambo reaction not abnormal before death Witnesses did not think a man's condition was serious or out of the ordinary before he collapsed and died having consumed poison and hallucinogens. AAP · May 22, 2024
Natasha Lechner inquest: ‘kambo’ proponents underestimate its ‘clear and identified risks’ , NSW coroner says The 39-year-old died suddenly and violently after a ritual involving Amazonian frog poison in Mullumbimby in 2019 The Guardian - AU · Feb 23, 2024
New witnesses offer fresh information into ‘kambo’ death at northern NSW spiritual retreat Coroner pauses inquest into death of Jarrad Antonovich, who died after drinking ayahuasca and partaking in a ‘kambo’ ritual The Guardian - AU · Feb 20, 2024
Inquest into frog-poison death paused for new witnesses Publicity around a man's death at a spiritual health retreat has prompted witnesses to come forward with information but it will take a court time to hear it. AAP · Feb 20, 2024
Participants at retreat where man died after ayahuasca ceremony allegedly told not to talk, NSW inquest hears Jarrad Antonovich died after drinking plant-based psychedelic and having frog toxin extract ‘kambo’ dabbed into burns The Guardian - AU · Feb 16, 2024
Retreat elders were ill-equipped for kambo emergency Elders at a spiritual retreat where a man died after taking illicit substances appeared ill-informed to deal with the warning signs, an inquest has heard. AAP · Feb 16, 2024
The Guardian - AU · Feb 15, 2024 ‘Elder’ at spiritual retreat told not to send man affected by frog toxin to hospital, NSW inquest hears Psychotherapist at retreat tells inquest she was told ‘no hospital’ after expressing concern for Jarrad Antonovich, who died later that night
AAP · Feb 15, 2024 Psychic 'held the beauty' as man died at health retreat A father of a man who died at an alternative retreat has accepted a tearful apology at a inquest where a psychic said she felt the man's spirit leave his body.
ABC News · May 20, 2023 What two NSW coronial inquests have taught us about kambo and why people use the South American frog poison Two recent coronial inquests have thrust kambo into the spotlight in Australia. So why do people choose to burn their skin and apply the frog poison?
The Guardian - AU · May 12, 2023 Alternative reality: two kambo deaths spark soul-searching in Australia’s counter-culture capital Two weeks of harrowing testimony at consecutive inquests shines a light on the northern rivers’ alternative therapy scene
The Guardian - AU · May 12, 2023 ‘Galling’: family of man who died after frog toxin ceremony criticise alleged comments of retreat organiser at NSW inquest To hear death of Jarrad Antonovich described as ‘beautiful’ was ‘particularly galling’, brother tells court
The Guardian - AU · May 11, 2023 ‘Guardians’ told Ayahuasca ceremony participants to ignore dying man, NSW inquest told Dentist tells coroner he heard the laboured breathing of a visibly unwell man in the silence between songs
The Guardian - AU · May 10, 2023 Retreat leader described man’s agonising death as ‘beautiful’ after frog toxin ceremony, NSW inquest hears Festival attendee tells inquest she was warned never to speak of Jarrad Antonovich’s final moments
ABC News · May 10, 2023 Kambo inquest hears Jarrad Antonovich's death was described as a 'beautiful occasion' The NSW Coroner's Court is told that the organiser of the Dreaming Arts Festival played guitar while Jarrad Antonovich lay dying and later described his death as a "beautiful occasion".
ABC News · May 9, 2023 Kambo frog-poison inquest hears yoga continued while Jarrad Antonovich died Paramedics tell a coronial inquest in NSW that "no-one was interested" in the fact that they were trying to save a man's life in a "weird" scene that an expert witness said "sounded very disturbing".
The Guardian - AU · May 8, 2023 Man who died at NSW northern rivers retreat was ‘blue in the face’ as ceremony continued nearby, inquest told Jarrad Antonovich died from a perforated oesophagus after consuming ayahuasca and Kambo frog toxin at Dreaming Arts festival