Dave Hogbin and his three sons, ages two, five, and seven, were at a well-liked tourist spot where big crocodiles can be seen when he fell into the water.
A large crocodile believed to have killed a man during a family vacation in Australia was discovered to have human remains inside; it later surfaced that the man’s “final act” likely saved his wife’s life.
According to his family, Dave Hogbin, 40, lost his footing on a portion of a riverbank path on Saturday and fell into the Annan River, south of Cooktown in the state of Queensland.
The doctor, traveling through Queensland with his wife Jane and three sons, ages two, five, and seven, was stopping at what is known as Crocodile Bend, a popular spot for tourists to see large crocodiles. The doctor is from Newcastle in New South Wales.
A 16-foot crocodile with a distinguishable scar on its snout was put to death by wildlife rangers on Monday in a creek slightly over two miles from the location of Mr. Hogbin’s disappearance.
According to a police statement, human remains discovered inside the crocodile during a Cooktown examination are thought to be those of Mr. Hogbin.
To verify the identity of the remains, more testing will be done.
Final deed probably prevented wife’s death.
Mr. Hogbin’s family subsequently refuted the police report that he was fishing at the time of his fall.
With permission from his family, a friend released a statement stating that he fell 16 feet into the river after a portion of the bank gave way and that he was unable to escape the water because of the terrain.
When Mr. Hogbin fell, his wife heard the splash and went to assist him. But, after seizing his arm, “she soon began slipping into the river herself, owing to the steepness and slipperiness of the bank.”
“Even though he knew Jane was his only hope, Dave’s last, decisive action was to release her arm when he noticed she was sinking. He was taken in a matter of moments, the statement continued.
It said that Mr. Hogbin’s last deed “probably saved” his wife’s life.
According to acting police chief Shane Holmes, Mr. Hogbin’s fall was most likely an accident.
A friend of Mr. Hogbin’s has created a GoFundMe page to help his wife and three kids recover from the accident. More than 30,000 Australian dollars have been raised so far.
About The Author
