A man from Ireland who was in remission after being diagnosed with cancer died after he was attacked by a chicken in his home, an inquest hearing into his cause of death reportedly revealed.
During the hearing, it was said that Jasper Kraus suffered the attack from a Brahma chicken on April 28, 2022, according to The Irish Examiner.
Kraus Found Lying Dead in a Pool of Blood
Detective Garda Eoin Browne testified that he was alerted about the incident, and when he arrived, first responders had unsuccessfully tried CPR to revive Kraus. As Browne entered the home, he said Kraus was lying on the ground in a pool of his blood after being injured on the back of one of his legs.
Kraus' daughter, Virginia Guinan, also recalled the moment she was told about her father's death, the outlet reported. Earlier that day, she had taken items to Kraus; when she arrived, he was sleeping. Guinan added that her father was also in remission after being diagnosed with cancer and previously suffered renal failure. Because of his health issues, he was on medication.
Blood Trail Led to the Chicken Shed, Blood Found on Chicken's Claws
Later that day, her father's tenant of two years, Corey O'Keeffe, contacted her to tell her about her father. She saw the gruesome scene upon her arrival to his home, according to the publication. She said during the hearing that his TV was playing, and a cigarette was still burning.
She also saw blood leading to the chicken shed and after noticing blood in a chicken's claws, she determined the chicken who had attacked her father was the same one who once attacked her daughter, she said.
O'Keeffe said he saw a gash on Kraus' calf along with other injuries. He called for help and was instructed on how to perform CPR for 25 minutes before paramedics arrived. He said Kraus continued to whisper the word "rooster" as he lost consciousness multiple times.
Kraus' Cause of Death
Dr. Annette Jennings shed more light on the incident and said during the hearing that when she got to Kraus' home, paramedics were trying to revive him. He was officially pronounced dead at 3:24 p.m. local time. She said his death was strange, as the injury to his left calf was caused by a chicken, according to The Irish Examiner.
Dr. Ramadan Shatwan, who performed the autopsy, said at the hearing that Kraus' face and his legs had blood on them; however, he didn't have any cuts on his face. His cause of death was determined as lethal cardiac arrhythmia via severe coronary atheroma and cardiomegaly. Coroner Brian O'Connor later confirmed the victim's cause of death, recording a verdict of misadventure, per The Irish Examiner.
Guinan had asked Dr. Shatwan if her father had a heart attack, and he said yes, adding that the blood supply to his heart was "severely calcified," which also played a factor in his death, per the outlet. The outlet added that Guinan said Kraus' heart issue was not news to her family as they "knew his heart was bad."
