Kilvington Grammar accused of failing to manage student Lachlan Cook’s diabetes risk

Melbourne private school Kilvington Grammar has been accused of failing to properly manage the diabetes risk of a 16-year-old student who died after he became terminally ill on a trip to Vietnam.

Lachlan Cook was rushed to hospital in Vietnam where he suffered a heart attack. Picture: Facebook

Kilvington Grammar principal Rob French has attended court as the private school is charged with the overseas death of diabetic student Lachlan Cook, stating “our thoughts and prayers are with the family”.

The Ormond school and travel company Worldwide Challenge have both been charged after the 16-year-old boy died when he became terminally ill on a school excursion to Vietnam in 2019.

Mr French told media outside the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday that the case was “before the courts so we can’t comment at this stage, but always on an occasion like this our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Lachlan, who had type 1 diabetes, fell ill with vomiting and slurred speech and was treated by a staff member from World Challenge for gastro.

Kilvington Grammar and travel company Worldwide Challenge have both been charged over Lachlan’s death.

His condition deteriorated and he was rushed to hospital in Vietnam where he suffered a heart attack, and was flown to an Australian hospital where he never regained consciousness and died.

Tuesday’s court appearance was an administrative filing hearing and the first court appearance after charges against the school and company were laid earlier this month.

Documents before the court state that Kilvington Grammar was aware Lachlan was attending the World Challenge tour to Vietnam in September 2019, and that it “failed” to take appropriate steps to manage his diabetes risk.

Court papers state it was “reasonably practicable” for the school to “reduce the risk of illness or death to diabetic students on school trips” by providing teachers with extra training on type 1 diabetes, and requiring teachers to “take the students’ diabetes management and action plans”.

“(The school) failed to take the above measures,” court material states.

Documents say that the school had a diabetes and management action plan for Lachlan, which included information on type 1 diabetes, warning signs of complications and steps that could be taken in response.

Kilvington Grammar faces a single charge laid by WorkSafe under the Occupational Health and Safety Act while World Challenge Expeditions Pty Ltd faces three charges.

A coronial inquest last year found that Lachlan’s death was “preventable and a tragedy to all who knew and loved him”.

The school and travel company will return to court for a committal mention in July.