Justin Darney: Cop’s wife claims ‘toxic mold’ at police station where he worked in Logan, Brisbane, which cost him his life
A heartbroken wife says her police officer husband died from exposure to toxic mold at the station where he worked.
Senior Constable Justin Darney, a hardworking police officer in Logan, south of Brisbane, for 20 years, died in January in his early 40s after developing a rare and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer.
Now his wife, Shari Freer-Darney, is campaigning for an inquest into his death because she believes his condition was caused by mold he was exposed to at work.
“I still remember it. At the end he said to me, ‘That’s really bad,'” Ms. Freer-Darney said. A current affair.
Senior Constable Justin Darney (pictured with his wife and children), a hardworking police officer in Logan, south of Brisbane for 20 years, died in January in his early 40s after developing a rare and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer . His wife believes it was caused by toxic mold at a police station where he worked
“He said, ‘I could understand being shot at or something happening to me in the line of duty, but… mold? For what ?”
Photos taken when Mr Darney worked at the station show mold on the ceiling and furniture, with his wife saying it even covered his gun if he left it in his drawer.
Ms Freer-Darney said her husband had complained about the problem 10 years before he became ill, but was simply asked to paint over it.
Her husband fell ill three years ago, at the age of 38.
“We went to a GP and he said: ‘I’m so sorry’. He said: ‘You have pancreatic cancer and it has spread to your liver,’ saddened Ms Freer-Darney.
“I still remember the shock on his face and he said, ‘Oh my God, am I going to die?’
Mr Darney was initially given seven days to live, but survived three years.
Senior Constable Darney is pictured on the right.
“I still remember in the end he spent months at home screaming in pain. He would take a shower and scream in pain. The children would be in the other room,” Ms Freer-Darney said.
Asbestos and dust disease lawyer Sean Sweeney of Slater and Gordon is representing Ms Freer-Darney in her bid to seek justice.
He said antibody tests conducted by doctors revealed Mr Darney had high levels of microtoxins produced by certain varieties of mold.
“It is terrible what happened to Justin and it is sad to see that this could have been avoided if more had been done,” Mr Sweeney said.
A Queensland Police spokesperson said: “Testing throughout Logan Central Station found it to be a safe working environment and suitable for a designated use. »
The coroner has six months to respond to Freer-Darney’s request to open an inquest.
