Lismore, New South Wales – Individuals seeking healing through frog poison rituals are being put at risk by practitioners lacking essential first aid skills, according to a recent coroner’s report.
The report follows the tragic death of Natasha Lechner, 39, in 2019 after participating in a kambo ceremony, a practice derived from a traditional South American ritual utilizing toxin from the giant monkey frog applied to burn wounds.
Although proponents believe in the healing properties of such practices, a concerning number of deaths linked to these rituals have been reported in Australia.
During a three-day inquest at Lismore courthouse in May 2023, State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan concluded that Ms. Lechner died due to an adverse cardiac event following the kambo frog toxin administration.
Ms. Lechner, who had a history of chronic health issues, had explored alternative medicine and pursued training to become a kambo practitioner before her passing.
On the day of her death, Ms. Lechner, along with a friend and fellow practitioner, engaged in a kambo ritual that tragically resulted in her losing consciousness and being unable to be revived by paramedics.
In response to the concerning circumstances surrounding Ms. Lechner’s death, new regulations have been implemented in New South Wales to prohibit the manufacture, supply, or use of kambo without proper authorization.
State Coroner O’Sullivan emphasized the risks associated with kambo use, especially when administered by individuals lacking adequate medical training, highlighting the vulnerability of those seeking healing through such rituals.
An ongoing inquest is also examining the death of Jarrad Antonovich in Lismore in October 2021, who died after ingesting the plant-based psychedelics ayahuasca and kambo, leading to a pause in the proceedings due to additional information coming to light.