A coronial inquest has been told a Mullumbimby woman who died minutes after using Kambo frog poison was not properly advised about the risks involved.
Three medical experts have agreed the most likely cause of Natasha Lechner's death in 2019 was an acute cardiac event, despite a post-mortem examination finding no signs of heart disease.
The 39-year-old fainted just moments after poison from an Amazonian giant tree frog was applied to five small burns on her chest and arm.
The court heard her final words before lapsing into unconsciousness were, 'It's not good.'
On Thursday, counsel assisting the Coroner, Doctor Peggy Dwyer, told the court as far as she was aware Ms Lechner "was not involved in any risk-taking behaviour".
She said she was not advised of the "risk of sudden death caused by Kambo, and yet there is a risk".
The court was told Ms Lechner had been trained as a Kambo practitioner just two months before her death.
It heard the handbook used by the International Association of Kambo Practitioners had since been updated to include more warnings.
What is Kambo?
Kambo is a purging ritual with South American origins.
Devotees make small dot-like burns on their skin before applying the poison, which induces severe vomiting.
The process is claimed to rid the body of toxins, but Australian health authorities say there is no evidence to support that claim.
The use and supply of Kambo was legal in NSW at the time of Ms Lechner's death.
But since October of 2021 it has been classified as a substance of "such danger to health as to warrant prohibition on sale, supply and use".
Ms Lechner's father Frank Lechner told the inquest he was glad Kambo had been made illegal but wondered how difficult it might be to police.
Mr Lechner described his daughter as a "very caring, soulful individual".
"She was always an old soul in a young body," he said.
"I couldn't see her taking risks, that was not in her nature."
Conflicting evidence
Mr Lechner drew attention to some discrepancies in the evidence heard by the court.
Yesterday, Natasha Lechner's housemate told the inquest about returning home to find her friend "foaming" from the mouth.
Kelly-Anne Green testified that she called an ambulance and was guided by the operator as she performed CPR.
The woman who was with Ms Lechner during the Kambo ceremony made no mention of foaming, and told the court she started CPR.
Victoria Sinclair said she did not have her phone, and decided to do CPR rather than raise the alarm or call for help.
She said she was "praying that Kelly would come home", which she did about 10 minutes later.
The court was told by an expert Kambo practitioner that most deaths associated with the practice involved a delay in calling an ambulance.
Mr Lechner wiped tears from his eyes as told the inquest he would never get over the death of his daughter.
"As a father you always want to be there," he said.
"I was very disappointed in how first aid was not rendered.
"Not all of us are heroes."
The Coroner is due to hand down her findings next week.
