Copyright mirror
A parent's worst nightmare is when a child heads off on a trip and never returns home, which is precisely what befell the Morton-Bowles and Jones families from Australia . Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, travelled to Laos last year, where they tragically perished from methanol poisoning, with claims that the nation's authorities failed to treat the investigation with proper seriousness. The girls' heartbroken parents are now urging other mums and dads not to allow their children to visit the region because it simply isn't safe. Speaking to the Herald Sun, both sets of parents branded the country as "corrupt." READ MORE: Travel alert as eight new countries get methanol poisoning warnings READ MORE: College student, 20, tragically killed in hit and run while jogging Last November, best mates Holly and Bianca made their way to the tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng when they were exposed to methanol. The teenagers, along with four other holidaymakers, were discovered suffering from methanol poisoning at the Nana Backpackers hostel , reports the Mirror US . The six are reported to have consumed contaminated beverages before becoming seriously unwell, with the Australian girls airlifted to a hospital in Thailand, where they received treatment in critical condition before succumbing to their injuries. It was reported that the colourless, odourless substance can trigger severe illness and prove fatal if just 0.85 fluid ounces are consumed. Holly's parents, Sean and Samantha, have spoken out about the investigation, expressing their disappointment in its handling. The families claim there's no indication that police have properly investigated the devastating tragedy They stated: "We recognise how corrupt and unhelpful the Laotian Government is; there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest there is any type of investigation going on." They further added: "(Our) hope is that Australians remove this country from their bucket list, your life is worth nothing over there and we have seen this first-hand as well as other families that have been involved in this tragedy." Victoria's Premier, Jacinta Allan, acknowledged the parents' frustration as "very real" due to the lack of progress in the Laotian investigation. Mark and Michelle Jones told the Sun-Herald that "to date, no individual or organisation has been held accountable." They expressed concern that it "appears these deaths of innocent young women may be forgotten, brushed aside and left unresolved." All four parents made an appearance on "60 Minutes," where they claimed to have been ignored by the Laotian government, with officials refusing to discuss their daughters' deaths. "We've heard nothing," Jones revealed during the interview, which was broadcast on Sunday night. "I cannot have my daughter's passing not mean anything," said the heartbroken father. "Last November, in a letter to our Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the Lao Government did express its 'profound sadness' over the deaths," Brown revealed. "And it said it 'was investigating the cause of the incident to bring the perpetrators to justice.'". "But so far, despite those words, there's been very little action," Brown continued. "When we tried to go to Laos to find out why we were denied access to the country because they claimed the case is still being worked on." The "60 Minutes" correspondent attempted to make contact with Laotian officials, but without success. " Brown added: "More significantly, and cruelly, no Lao officials will meet with the devastated families, not even in private."
