The woman heard in distressing CCTV audio from the final moments of a young Australian FIFO worker who died mysteriously in a Bali swimming pool has publicly addressed the incident for the first time. Kristy Pepperell was among three friends partying with 23-year-old Sunshine Coast local Byron Haddow in the hours before he was found dead at a North Kuta villa on May 26.
Backlash Over Villa CCTV Footage
Ms Pepperell faced intense online criticism after a clip emerged appearing to show her urging others to leave Mr Haddow's body in the water. The audio, later shown to his parents on the 60 Minutes programme, allegedly captured her insisting Mr Haddow was "not our friend" and expressing fear the group would "get in trouble".
In the footage, a panicked friend is heard saying, "I cannot just let go of him, are you f***ing insane?" to which Ms Pepperell replies, "You can, you can, this has nothing to f***ing do with us." The friend retorts, "I am not just going to f***ing leave him here," before Ms Pepperell states, "He is not my f***ing issue, I do not know who he is."
Pepperell's Defence and Regret
Breaking her silence on social media, Ms Pepperell admitted she regretted her "choice of words" but slammed claims she fled Bali. She stated the group had been in contact with the Australian Federal Police for six months and had provided statements upon their return to Australia.
"We have been cleared from the police," she wrote. "It was an unfortunate incident, my choice of words unfortunately were not the best and I regret what I said but I was in flight mode. He was dead and there was nothing we could do about it, we stayed til the ambulance arrived." She blamed the media for twisting the narrative against those who witnessed the traumatic event.
Her explanation was not universally accepted. Friend of Byron, Ella Carter, responded: "As a friend of Byron, it is so upsetting to hear someone talk about him as though he was a piece of trash. Imagine if it was your friend or brother or even yourself."
A Mysterious Death and a Botched Autopsy
Byron Haddow was found dead at the private The Grove Bumbak Villa while holidaying. His body was later repatriated to Australia without his heart following an autopsy bungle, deepening his family's anguish. His parents, particularly mother Chantal Haddow, have been demanding answers ever since.
A police report obtained in September stated three friends were present when Mr Haddow was found and claimed two 'foreign women' fled afterwards. Villa manager Irvan Awaludin told police he rushed to the scene around 11.45am on May 26 after learning of the death. He found medical personnel present and Haddow's body lying face-up on a table.
Forensic specialist Dr Nola Margaret Gunawan, who conducted the autopsy four days post-mortem, was interviewed as an expert witness. Her report noted signs of blunt force trauma, intoxication, and drowning. She concluded that a high alcohol level combined with the antidepressant Duloxetine ultimately caused his death, with head trauma potentially contributing to physical weakness.
CCTV timelines revealed Mr Haddow was last seen alive at 7.25am. A loud splash was heard at 9.26am, followed by panicked screams. The group had been partying for roughly seven hours prior. Thirty minutes after the ambulance arrived, Ms Pepperell and the others were seen leaving the villa.
The investigation continues as Haddow's family seeks closure, grappling with the loss compounded by the disturbing audio and the botched handling of his remains.
