Family ripped apart by small town farming tragedy says they ‘can’t talk’

The tragic electrocution of a beloved mother and her young daughter on a Queensland farm has been described as ‘beyond comprehension’ by family members.

A ‘BEAUTIFUL’ family’s peaceful farm life tragically changed forever on New Year’s Eve when a mother and her daughter were electrocuted and killed in a freak tragedy west of Cairns.

In what has been called a “horrendously tragic accident”, Tumoulin mother Juanita Bendel, 39, and her 10-year-old daughter Ava were picking vegetables on their Eriksen Rd farm when they touched an electric fence carrying 240 volts.

The woman’s partner Mitchell, who is Ava’s dad, found them dead when he returned home for lunch on the farm, 117km southwest of Cairns.

He also suffered an electric shock and received minor injuries, as did the couple’s four-year-old daughter Hannah who had wandered outside to find her mother and sister.

Ava Cole.

Juanita Bendel.

The tragedy has ripped apart the family of four and left a devastating mark on a small community of less than 800 people.

The farm fence became electrified about 11am Monday after it was connected to the bull bar of a semi-trailer while its battery was on charge.

The fence had been hooked up to the bull bar in an effort to keep horses out of the family’s shed, where the semi-trailer was charging.

The fence was mostly used to keep cattle inside the yard of the farm, about 117 kilometres southwest of Cairns.

Juanita’s mother Roseanne Bendel struggled to put the tragedy into words yesterday.

“I can’t even think at the moment. They are just a wonderful family and we’re just all so devastated,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“It is beyond comprehension. (Ava) was a beautiful little 10-year-old.”

The couple’s second eldest daughter Hannah was found running around the property when her father arrived home and made the grim find.

The family’s farm at Tumoulin, near Ravenshoe.

Police Superintendent Geoff Sheldon said the man managed to turn off the power and called several people who arrived at the farm with paramedics, but Juanita and Ava, a St Teresa’s Primary School student, died at the scene.

He called it a “horrendously tragic accident”.

“This has struck to the very heart of the community,” he said.

“It’s just a family tragedy but its such a broader thing than that.

“Everybody in the community knew them and came to help at a time of crisis, and they’ve all been affected by this.”

Tablelands Mayor Joe Paronella described the situation as “dreadful” and “awful”.

“It’s a tragedy … and very sad loss,” Cr Paronella said.

“It just highlights how careful we have to be at all times.”

Juanita and Ava were well known and well liked in the community.

Division 2 councillor Annette Haydon, who knew the family, was yesterday still in reeling from the tragedy.

“Juanita always had the biggest smile on her face. She was always happy to talk to you,” she said.

“These are terrible circumstances.”

Police and the Workplace Health and Safety are investigating.