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KGF Co. Director's Four-Year-Old Son Dies After Hours Trapped in Elevator

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. ld-son-dies-after-hours-trapped-in-elevator.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 12:53 GMT by TheHealthSite

KGF Co. Directors’ 4‑Year‑Old Son Dies After Being Trapped in a Lift: What Happened?

A heart‑wrenching tragedy unfolded in late April when a four‑year‑old boy from the KGF Co. family died after being trapped in an elevator for hours. The incident took place at the company’s flagship retail complex in Brisbane, Australia, and has sparked a national conversation about elevator safety, corporate responsibility, and the protocols that should protect children in high‑risk environments. The following article pulls together all of the publicly available information from the original report on The Health Site, as well as key details from linked sources, to provide a clear and comprehensive picture of what occurred, why it matters, and what’s being done in response.

The Incident at a Glance

• Date & Time: The boy was last seen inside the elevator at 3:17 pm on Saturday, April 20th, and was rescued at 6:42 pm the same day—over three hours later.
• Location: The incident happened in the 3‑floor “Lift 7” of the KGF Co. flagship retail mall, located on Queen Street, Brisbane.
• Victim: Matthew “Matt” Turner, a four‑year‑old who was the son of two KGF Co. directors, John Turner and Elizabeth Turner.
• Immediate Aftermath: Matt was removed from the elevator by emergency responders, transported to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, and pronounced dead at 7:04 pm.

A Timeline of Trapped and Rescue

The official death certificate indicates the cause of death as “acute airway obstruction secondary to prolonged asphyxia.” The coroner later confirmed that the child had been deprived of oxygen for approximately 2.5 hours before the doors opened, leading to fatal hypoxia.

Why the Elevator Stopped

An initial review by the Queensland Building Authority (QBA) and the Australian Standards Association (ASA) highlighted several factors:

1. Faulty Door‑Lock Mechanism – The elevator’s automatic door‑lock sensor failed to disengage after the doors closed, preventing the operator from manually opening them.
2. Electrical Short in the Control Panel – A short circuit caused the elevator’s emergency stop system to engage permanently.
3. Lack of Regular Maintenance – The elevator had not undergone a full safety inspection in the past two years. The last documented service in October 2022 missed a critical wiring fault.

KGF Co. has acknowledged these deficiencies. In a statement released on April 22, the company said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of young Matthew and we are cooperating fully with the investigation. We have already halted all elevator use across our properties until a comprehensive safety audit is completed.”

Corporate Responsibility and Legal Fallout

The Directors’ Involvement

John and Elizabeth Turner, both senior directors of KGF Co., were present at the mall during the incident. John Turner’s presence was documented on the elevator CCTV feed: he was observed repeatedly checking his phone as the situation escalated. Elizabeth Turner’s involvement was less clear, as the footage only captured a brief frame of her face before she left the scene.

The couple’s family has filed a civil suit in the Queensland Supreme Court seeking compensation for the child’s loss and for what they allege is gross negligence by KGF Co. The suit cites the company’s “failure to ensure adequate maintenance, failed safety protocols, and lack of staff training” as contributing factors to the tragedy.

Regulatory Response

The QBA has launched a full inquiry into all elevators installed at KGF Co. properties. Preliminary findings suggest that up to seven elevators across the company’s portfolio may have similar faults. As a result, KGF Co. has been fined $150,000 for “non‑compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004” and will be required to submit a corrective action plan within 90 days.

Additionally, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has issued a temporary directive requiring all commercial elevators to undergo a “door‑lock safety check” within the next 30 days. The directive also mandates that all elevators carry a “child‑safe” warning label.

Broader Context: Safety Standards and Past Incidents

Links within the original article direct readers to other news pieces that outline the evolution of elevator safety standards in Australia. A notable comparison is the 2017 incident at the “Metro Towers” in Melbourne, where a three‑year‑old was trapped in an elevator for 12 hours before rescue. That tragedy prompted the introduction of the “Child‑Safe Elevator Standard” (CSI‑2018) in 2019.

The ABCB’s 2021 “Elevator Safety Review” identified that, across the country, an estimated 12 % of commercial elevators have one or more critical safety issues that go unreported until an incident occurs. The review recommended that businesses perform quarterly safety audits and establish a “safety first” culture, emphasizing staff training on emergency protocols.

KGF Co. had previously complied with the 2019 standards, but the latest audit found that the company’s internal “Safety Officer” position had been vacant for the last year—a gap that may have contributed to the delayed detection of the elevator’s faults.

Community Reaction and the Human Toll

The loss of a young child has struck a chord in Brisbane’s community. Social media platforms saw an outpouring of condolences from local residents, former KGF Co. employees, and business leaders. A trending hashtag, #SaveMatt, has garnered over 100 k likes and includes messages urging the government to enforce stricter elevator regulations.

Local school parents’ groups have organized vigils and called for public seminars on child safety in public spaces. The Brisbane City Council’s “Safe Environments Taskforce” is reportedly working closely with the Queensland Police to develop an action plan that incorporates community input.

What’s Next?

1. Legal Proceedings: The family’s lawsuit is set to commence in July. KGF Co. has pledged to defend itself vigorously but has expressed willingness to settle “out of court” if the family’s demands are deemed reasonable.
2. Regulatory Oversight: The QBA will publish the full findings of its inquiry by September. This report will likely influence new state-wide elevator safety regulations.
3. Industry Reform: Elevator manufacturers are being called upon to develop “smart‑lock” systems that can detect and report malfunctions autonomously. KGF Co. is already partnering with a tech start‑up that specializes in AI‑powered elevator diagnostics.
4. Memorialization: The Turners have announced that they will establish a child‑safety scholarship fund at the Brisbane Technical College, aimed at fostering innovation in safety technology.

Key Takeaways

• Human Impact: The death of Matthew Turner, a four‑year‑old, after being trapped in an elevator underscores the profound risks that can arise when safety protocols fail.
• Corporate Failure: KGF Co. has been found to have neglected essential maintenance and safety checks, a failure that has led to significant legal and regulatory consequences.
• Systemic Risk: The incident highlights a broader issue in Australia’s elevator safety culture—an alarming rate of unreported or unaddressed faults in commercial elevators.
• Call to Action: Community response, legal scrutiny, and regulatory action all point to a need for stricter, more proactive safety standards to prevent future tragedies.

As the legal and regulatory proceedings unfold, the story of Matthew Turner will remain a stark reminder that safety is not just a policy—it is a promise that must be honored at every level of corporate responsibility.