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Australia

Dog baiting on Sunshine Coast investigation ramps up as deaths sicken owners

A man holding a picture of a dog stands next to a woman on a set of stairs leading to a beach

For Samantha Barrass and her family, the loss of their golden labrador Pepper this week has been made even harder by the knowledge it may have stemmed from a deliberate, malicious act.

“It’s unbelievable… it just makes you sick to the stomach… there’s no words,” Ms Barrass said.

“I don’t know how you could harm let alone kill an innocent, defenseless animal and a dog… that provides so much joy.”

Pepper was one of five dogs to die after visiting Buddina beach — a popular off-leash area on the Sunshine Coast.

Pepper exhibited poisoning symptoms several hours after her walk.

Ms Barass said her dog died at the vet clinic on Tuesday

Breaking the news to her five-year-old daughter was one of the hardest things she’d had to do.

“She just wants Pepper to be home and can’t kind of comprehend what’s happened,” Ms Barass said.

“She was the happiest dog…stupidly happy…she was the brightest of all of us.”

A cream dog with a collar sits looking at the camera
Pepper’s family are devastated after she succumbed to poisoning symptoms on Tuesday.(Supplied: Samantha Barrass)

Dog bowls removed

Sunshine Coast police and the RSPCA are investigating, with at least seven dogs affected, including the five that have died.

A picture of a beach access sign in front of some trees and the beach
Sunshine Coast Council has removed a dog drinking bowl from beach access 210.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Jessica Ross)

Several of the owners told authorities their dogs had drunk from water bowls at Buddina, near beach access 210.

Sunshine Coast councilor Joe Natoli said portable drinking bowls had been removed while fixed bowls had been sealed to prevent further contamination.

“We’ll increase our surveillance of the area,” Mr Natoli said.

“Council is actually asking people that if they if they have their dogs, and they’re in off leash areas, to be very vigilant to make sure that they keep an eye on their dogs.”

Man with gray hair looking at camera with field behind him.
Joe Natoli says water bowls have been removed or sealed.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew)

Kawana Waters police officer-in-charge Mark Cordwell encouraged pet owners to make an official report.

“We would like to try and pinpoint the location where all these dogs were may have frequented, as well as the times,” Senior Sergeant Cordwell said.

If found to be a deliberate act, those responsible could face up to seven years in jail.

“It’s certainly serious matters,” Senior Sergeant Cordwell said.

“It is concerning enough for us to commence an investigation.”

Beagle looking at camera
Billy the beagle is one of five dogs that have died after a spate of suspected poisonings.(Supplied: Doggie Adventure Playhouse)

dog lovers in shock

The news has rocked the Sunshine Coast community, particularly dog ​​park regulars.

Many took to social media to say they wouldn’t be visiting the area until the source of the poisoning had been found.

Buderim resident Gary, who didn’t want to give his full name, didn’t take his dog I went to the park on Wednesday but spent the morning warning other walkers.

“I thought I’d come down here and sit for half an hour and anyone with a dog coming along, I would mention to them just in case they hadn’t heard the news,” Gary said.

“So that they can be wary and maybe keep their dog on the leash and prevent them from eating something, if there’s something around.”

A man sits in the front seat of a car and a dog sits in the back
Gary, from Buderim, didn’t want to walk his dog I went after hearing of suspected poisonings.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew)

Meanwhile, Ms Barrass said she was determined to help with the investigation into the dog deaths to ensure there was justice for the animals lost.

“Pepper was only four… it would be different if she went from old age or she developed a health complaint,” she said.

“For someone… an individual or a group of people… to be part of the death… that’s just viciousness.”

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Categories
US

Man dies when sand dune collapses atop him on Florida beach

A Florida man's body was found sticking out of a sand dune in Martin County, and investigators believe he died when the sand collapsed on him.

A Florida man’s body was found sticking out of a sand dune in Martin County, and investigators believe he died when the sand collapsed on him.

facebook screenshot

A man’s body was found sticking out of a sand dune on a Florida beach, and investigators believe he was killed when the hill of sand collapsed over him, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

The discovery was made early Monday, Aug. 8, on Hutchinson Island, about 120 miles north of Miami.

Evidence suggests the man was recording video of the sunrise when the dune collapsed, trapping and killing him, officials said.

“An early morning beachgoer noticed a portion of the victim’s body protruding from the sand and called for help,” the sheriff’s office said. ”It appears that the man died hours earlier from asphyxia as a result of being trapped underneath the sand.”

The identity of the 35-year-old has not been released. I have lived in nearby Stuart, officials said.

Foul play is not suspected. Investigators are awaiting results of toxicology tests, which is standard procedure, the sheriff’s office said.

“Those tests, however, are not likely to change the outcome of this incident being a tragic accident,” the sheriff’s office said.

Related stories from Miami Herald

Mark Price has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1991, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. I have graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.

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Categories
Australia

Got a question about the Somerton Man breakthrough? Ask the experts in our live Q&A blog and catch up on the mysterious case

A black and white image of a deceased man

The case of the Somerton Man has baffled detectives and amateur sleuths for decades.

Now it’s your chance to ask the experts just how one of Australia’s most enduring mysteries has been solved — and why the story has attracted so much attention.

University of Adelaide professor Derek Abbottwho spent decades researching the case and helped to uncover the man’s identity, will join us from 12pm (AEST) to tackle all your curly questions.

Colleen Fitzpatricka renowned forensic genealogist who lent her expertise to the case, and ABC journalist and host of Radio National podcast The Somerton Man Mystery, Fiona Ellis Joneshave also slow their time to respond to your top questions from our audience call-out.

The live feed will begin at midday but, in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the case:

A man is found dead on the beach — but no-one knows who he is

The Somerton Man's face mold and a digital image of the man it was taken from
Digital illustrator Daniel Voshart created an image of the Somerton Man based on the face mold created after he was found dead.(Supplied: Daniel Voshart)

On December 1, 1948, a man’s body was found slumped against a wall under the esplanade at Somerton Beach in Adelaide. But there were few clues to determine his identity.

He had a half-smoked cigarette on his lapel and a few personal items in his possession: two combs, a box of matches, a used bus ticket to the area, an unused second-class train ticket, a packet of chewing gum and cigarettes .

A post-mortem revealed the man had a “stinkingly” enlarged spleen and internal bleeding in the stomach and liver, and it was concluded the death resulted from poison.

Then the paper was found: ‘Tamam Shud’

In the months following the mystery man’s death, the case took a strange turn.

A suitcase believed to belong to him was found at Adelaide Railway Station. It contained an assortment of his belongings including a shaving brush, a knife in a sheath and boot polish.

Somerton Man
The personal items found inside a suitcase believed to belong to the mysterious Somerton Man.(Supplied)

Some of his clothes had the tags removed and others, including his tie, had T Keane printed on them.

Then, a tiny rolled-up piece of paper inscribed with the words “Tamam Shud” was found hidden deep in the fob pocket of the man’s trousers.

The scrap of paper found in the Somerton Man's fob pocket.
The scrap of paper found in the Somerton Man’s fob pocket with the Persian words “Tamam Shud”.(Supplied: Professor Derek Abbott)

The torn paper was later traced back to a book of ancient Persian poetry, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which had been left in the back seat of a car near where the body was found.

The words roughly translate to “the end” or “the finish”, and the poems touch on themes including the need to live life to the fullest and having no regrets when it ends.

Was the Somerton Man a spy?

In July 1949, a copy of The Rubaiyat with the page containing “Tamam Shud” torn out was handed in to police.

The man who contacted the authorities said he found it in the back of his car in November 1948 — a month before the man’s body was discovered.

A black and white photo of a book with a section torn out.
A scrap of paper which read Tamam Shud was torn from the final page of copy of Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám, authored by 12th-century poet, Omar Khayyám.(Supplied: Carolyn Billsborrow )

The book contained a sequence of letters and a couple of telephone numbers, but they didn’t lead investigators any closer to uncovering the Somerton Man’s identity.

The strange sequence and the fact labels had been removed from the man’s clothes fueled speculation he might have been a spy.

A man in white overalls walks past gravestones as excavation crews work in the background
Forensic science and excavation crews were onsite to assist with the Somerton Man’s exhumation.(ABC News: Michael Clements)

ABC Radio Adelaide’s Daniel Keane spoke to University of Adelaide professor Derek Abbott last month, prior to the Somerton Man’s identity being uncovered, about the theories.

“I don’t think there’s compelling evidence — just these scattered circumstantial things that can be explained in different ways,” Professor Abbott said.

Last week, after decades of searching for answers, Professor Abbott and forensic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick made a breakthrough.

The previously unidentified man was named as Melbourne electrical engineer Carl “Charles” Webb — far from the answer some were expecting.

live updates

By Bridget Judd

You’re a little early, but check back at 12:00pm (AEST)

Over the next couple of hours, we’ll put your questions to Derek Abbottwho helped uncover the Somerton Man’s identity.

You can make a submission by clicking the blue ‘leave a comment’ button above.

The live stream will begin at 12:00 p.m. (AEST)so come and join the conversation then!

posted , updated

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Categories
Australia

Port Macquarie early risers brave winter ice baths for better physical and mental health

Port Macquarie early risers brave winter ice baths for better physical and mental health

Francine Nunnari admits jumping into a freezing cold ice bath on a crisp winter’s morning sounds “crazy.”

“Who would want to start doing ice baths in the middle of winter? I really thought it would just be me.”

But, to her surprise, a growing group of like-minded strangers have started joining her to brave the cold every Wednesday morning in New South Wales.

“It’s turned into something quite beautiful, meeting up with the community and pushing through self-limitations,” Ms Nunnari said.

A woman in a black t-shirt smiles happily on a beach in front of some portable baths
Francine Nunnari started the weekly ice bath sessions at the beginning of winter.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Port Macquarie Beach, Breath and Ice Group gather at Port Macquarie’s popular Flynns Beach before sunrise.

Ms Nunnari guides them through peaceful, yet important, breathing exercises before preparing for the ultimate challenge.

“Cold represents stress; it’s a form of stress that a lot of us don’t like,” she said.

“It’s about facing a challenge rather than turning away from it.”

Three men sit in separate small blue baths filled with ice with their eyes closed
Group members meet at Port Macquarie’s popular Flynns Beach before submerging themselves.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Each group member has a different motive for waking up at the crack of dawn and pushing their boundaries, but many said it was to improve their mental and physical health.

“You feel it physically, but really dealing with [the cold] is good for my mental health,” Hendo Longstaff said.

“For me, one of the biggest challenges was doing this form of practice in a community environment when I normally hide at home.”

A man with tattoos on his face stands on a beach in a hoodie
Hendo Longstaff says the experience is both challenging and enjoyable.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

A family challenge

For Michelle Jordan, the early morning meet-ups are a family activity with her husband and children.

“I find it a real challenge,” Ms Jordan said.

“I feel like I’ve achieved something and it’s building up more resilience in being able to do hard things.”

Her young daughter, Samaya, felt the same.

“It helps me get through the week and it feels nice afterwards,” she said.

Following the ice exposure, group members run into the ocean, which feels like a warm bath in comparison to the ice.

Group of 20 people stretch their arms into the air with the sunrise over the ocean in the background
The early morning risers prepare for the cold by engaging in breath and stretch exercises.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Not for everyone

Ice exposure and cold-water therapy was made popular by Dutch athlete Wim Hof ​​and is practiced around the world.

Queensland University of Technology senior lecturer Jonathan Peak has conducted research on cold water immersion for athletes and said he understood why it was becoming popular within small communities.

“Initially there’s a little bit of shock when you get into the ice baths,” Dr Peak said.

“There’s the slowing of the heart rate and the activation of a sense of relaxation.

“What I think is happening is the cold-water immersion is putting these people into a meditative state.”

Dr Peak said more research was needed on its effects and potential risks for the general population, and recommended anyone with a pre-existing heart condition consult a health professional before participating.

Man sits in small blue bath of icey water with his eyes closed
Ian Goldspink endures the ice bath session for his second time.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Attendees feel ‘invigorated’

Group members aimed to submerge themselves in the bath for two minutes, yet local resident Ian Goldspink endured the ice for four.

“It felt invigorating — I loved it,” Mr Goldspink said.

For surf and yoga teacher Lauren Enfield, immersing herself in chilly water is a daily occurrence.

“I get a lot of ‘stoke’ in my life through surfing, through yoga, through nature, through family,” she said.

“An ice bath is something different, so it gives me the same sense of joy and release all day but I’ve done it in a different way that’s challenging.”

Ms Enfield believed other regional communities should embrace the weekly ice bath catch-ups.

“I think communities can benefit, not only from that changing mindset, but the gathering of the community,” she said.

Blonde woman wears hooded beach towel and smiles at the camera
Group participant Lauren Enfield says its nice to “embrace the cold”.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Ms Nunnari could not agree more.

“Healing comes from connection,” she said.

“I can see this happening within the workplace, in schools, within every community and micro community.”

Ms Nunnari added that she had seen clear benefits.

“There’s the challenge, there’s the resistance, there’s overcoming that, pushing self-limiting beliefs, self-awareness, all of that,” she said.

Group of 20 people stand in a circle on grass with the beach and rocks in the background
Port Macquarie residents meet at sunrise to participate in an ice bath session.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

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