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The family of a teenage girl who suffered a fatal shark bite say they finally have closure 18 months after the tragedy, as it is revealed the attack happened so quickly that it was already too late by the time her friend waiting onshore raised the alarm.
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friend → see → alarm
Charlize Maree Zmuda died while swimming at an unpatrolled beach at Woorim on Bribie Island off Queensland's Moreton Bay in February 2025.
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Zmuda → die → February
In a report handed down this week, Coroner Carol Lee ruled that Charlize was attacked by a bull shark measuring at least 2.5m and up to 2.9m.
The teen died from extensive injuries caused by a shark bite to her right upper arm, which led to an air embolism that fatally blocked her arteries, the coroner found.
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coroner → hand → arteries
'This is a rapidly fatal event and is the most likely mechanism of death,' Ms Lee wrote.
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Lee → write → death
While learning about the extent of her injuries was heartbreaking, Charlize's parents, Steve and Renee, are relieved that she did not suffer.
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she → learn → injuries
'As a parent, my biggest fear was that she was screaming in pain, but she wasn't, it killed her instantly,' Mr Zmuda told the Courier Mail.
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Zmuda → scream → Mail
A coroner has handed down her findings into the death of Charlize Maree Zmuda
Charlize's parents Steve and Renee are relieved that the teen did not suffer
'It gave me a lot of solace to know there was nothing anybody could do.'
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anybody → hand → solace
His wife added: 'It was confronting but also a relief because the details of the report confirmed it was very quick.'
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it → add → report
At the time of their daughter's death, the Zmudas issued an emotional appeal to Aussies not to be afraid of the ocean, a message they still stand by.
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they → issue → ocean
'She (Charlize) wouldn't want this to cause fear because the ocean just gave her so much joy,' Ms Zmuda said.
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Zmuda → want → joy
'I think if losing Char has taught us anything, it's that we only have today, that's all that's promised.'
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that → think → that
Charlize's death was so quick that it was too late by the time her friend waiting onshore raised the alarm.
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friend → wait → alarm
'Her friend saw a commotion in the water, a quantity of blood, and heard a scream,' Ms Lee said of the February 3 incident.
'Charlize was then seen floating on her back with no further signs of movement.'
Charlize died from extensive injuries from a shark bite to her right upper ar, which caused an air embolism that fatally blocked arteries
At the time of the tragedy, Charlize's father Steve (pictured at her funeral) urged Aussies to not be afriad of the ocean
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father → see → ocean
An inquest will not be held, as the coroner found that there were 'appropriate' safety measures at the beach.
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coroner → hold → beach
A drone trial ended a day before Charlize's death, and drumlines had been serviced two days before the incident and were fully operational.
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drumlines → end → incident
The beach did not have the protective nets used elsewhere under the Queensland government's shark control program.
However, Ms Lee said shark nets were not suitable for the beach due to the high tidal currents, which tend to twist or drag the nets, rendering them ineffective.
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them → have → nets
The shark control program ended a trial of surveillance drones at Woorim Beach the day before the incident.
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program → end → incident
However, 18 baited drumlines were floating between 300 and 350 metres offshore.
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drumlines → bait → ?
Drumlines are used to trap feeding sharks for euthanasia or relocation.
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Drumlines → use → euthanasia
In accordance with standard servicing protocols and timeframes, the Woorim Beach drumlines were serviced by a contractor two days before the incident,' Ms Lee said.
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Lee → service → incident
'All drumlines were baited and found to be operational.'
Only four sharks have been caught in the Woorim Beach drumlines, including two bull sharks, between January 2024 and March 2025.
'Shark nets and drumlines do not provide an impenetrable barrier,' Ms Lee said.
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Lee → bait → barrier
The shark control program came under an earlier independent review and underwent substantial reform and investment after Charlize's death.
'
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program → come → death
I am satisfied that an appropriate shark risk mitigation framework is in place in an attempt to reduce the occurrence of shark attack risk at our coastline in the future, with the aim of protection of human life whilst maintaining environmental stewardship,' Ms Lee said.
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Lee → reduce → stewardship
Ms Zmuda would like to see the SharkSmart drone technology expanded for all weather conditions and used for longer durations.
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technology → like → durations
The Aporia
