#OneNETnewsInvestigates: Australian Teenager's Solo Escapade Issue in Bali, turned into an inspiration of a Hollywood Movie?
(Written by Anne Savisa Boonchuy, Jackie Lynn Thomas, Clyde Marcus McBride and Stella Zhau / Group Investigative Reporters of Disney XD News & Nickelodeon Action News)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- In a story that reads like a real-life version of Home Alone, with its similarity of 'Kevin McCallister', a 12 y/o boy from 'Dapto, New South Wales' in Australia managed to flee his home after an argument with his mother and travel alone to 'Bali, Indonesia'. The escapade has raised profound concerns about child safety, airport security and parental challenges. An in-depth look at how "Michael", now at the age of 18, managed to execute his audacious escape, what came next, and how his adventure was received globally. This meets no introduction as our joint investigation of 'Disney XD News' and 'Nickelodeon Action News' for OneNETnews, with team coverage on the double from Indonesia and Australia.
The adventure began in mid-March 2018, as reported by the local Australian news station '9 News: Perth' via public affairs news programme 'A Current Affair', when Michael had a heated disagreement with his mother and was subsequently grounded. Frustrated, he devised an intricate plan to leave his home country. Using his mother's credit card and tricking his grandmother into providing his passport, Michael made his way from Dapto to Perth via train transport. From there, he booked a low-cost flight on Jetstar Airways (which under the parent company 'Qantas'), bypassing multiple security checks with ease.
Remarkably, Michael evaded detection by customs and security officials, despite being flagged for previous runaway attempts. Armed with his mother's passport, a secondary school student ID, and his paid boarding ticket, he checked in via a self-service kiosk and passed through the security gates without any questions from the airport staff or the Australian Federal Police (AFP). He then boarded the 4-hour flight to Bali undisturbed.
Upon landing in Denpasar City, Michael seamlessly passed through Indonesian immigration. Local airport officials, apparently unaware of his age, stamped his passport without hesitation. His journey continued with a Go-Jek motorbike ride to the 'All Seasons Hotel' (ASH), now known today as Ibis Styles, where he posed as an independent tourist. Unexpectedly from our joint-investigative news team of our media colleagues for OneNETnews, his parent's mom supposedly lived in Bali and waiting outside to pay a visit to spend 4 days at a hotel room. Renting a motorbike without a license, as well with the helmets on, and even trying alcoholic beer for the first time, which way below the age limit requirement in the Indonesia law.
Michael's days were filled with sightseeing, shopping, and swimming in the hotel pool, particularly at the beach. He was mostly just relaxing there, without any troubles. '9 News: Perth' obtained the exclusive video on social media, Michael self-posted the video of his antics in the hotel pool before silently turning them over to the local police in Bali and officials of the 'Indonesian National Police' (INP).
All of the sudden, the Bali police nabbed Michael at the 'All Seasons Hotel'. Police have yet to deport him back to his home country. The local police in Bali were eventually alerted by the AFP after Michael's family tracked him through his phone on social media via Facebook (before transitioned to 'Meta Platforms Inc.' [MPi] in late-October 2021). Nyoman Wirajaya, who is a Chief Police Commissioner in Bali, recounted the moment authorities found Michael in Room 115 of the ASH: "We had been waiting like a couple of hours in the hotel, together with the IFE, and also the Consular General, then he came back from the beach. When I came to the hotel (at 'All Seasons Hotel'), and he smile, very nice and cute, as usual as a kid you know. I keep him in a special room in my staff room. He is not in the jail because, he is a teenager. We are not allowed to arrest, nor committing crimes also in Indonesia", Wirajaya stated.
Michael's family, anxiously worried and rushed to Bali to take him home. His parents had to face the son's doings, as well as international legalities that were now thrust upon them. The ASH, under pressure from the authorities, permanently evicted Michael from the hotel premises. The family later checked into the 'Melasti Beach Resort and Spa' (MBRS) to reconcile and prepare for their return to its home country in Australia.
The case was severely criticizing 'Jetstar Airways' and breaching securities at Australian airports. Therefore, Jetstar revised the policy on handling unaccompanied minors, in order to prevent similar issues. Similarly, The Indonesian National Police (INP) also revised their process of checking for minors traveling alone. In spite of irresponsible and unlawful acts, Michael opened up a very big gap in international security systems while traveling.
Michael's story garnered international media attention, including right here in the Philippines, and his life story will soon debuting a new Hollywood film in the United States of America (U.S.A.). Paramount Pictures secured the rights to his tale, with plans to release the film 'Runaway' around 2030 or so. With the coming out of Coronavirus Disease-19 pandemic (CoViD-19), which already back to normal worldwide, production was held back a bit, but it was still looked forward to widely.
The escapade cost Michael's family approximately AUD8,000 (or nearly PHP296,000). Paramount Pictures has pledged to cover these expenses through trust funds tied to the film's gross production by the legal age of 21 in 2027. This silver lining to them affords a worst case, but still life-changing moment for them.
Michael's journey from a 12 y/o boy to an unintentional symbol of child autonomy and security measures broke its laws, has been in the imagination of viewers everywhere. His actions were surely irresponsible, but they threw light on systemic weaknesses and prompted serious discussions about safeguarding children.
With 'Runaway' finally hitting to debut in theaters worldwide, much still in development, Michael's journey comes off as a thriller, and at the same time brings up the issue of how parents and institutions are held responsible in safeguarding the lives of the Australians.
STOCK PHOTO COURTESY for REPRESENTATION: Google Images BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna
SOURCE: *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YO-2JsF-4M *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCfsl-AhmJw *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STW *https://www.9news.com.au/national/bali-boy-borrows-credit-card-books-own-flight/b8076712-aa82-4282-8e00-259db6c59151 *https://www.9news.com.au/national/runaway-rascal-boy-steals-family-credit-card-for-bali-flight/9892371a-b017-4d2b-8958-b13bec13ff91 *https://www.9news.com.au/national/runaway-boy-stole-credit-card-bali-mum/e507ea9c-fdb9-46ba-9143-c0d7f2c756f4 *https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/12-year-old-who-flew-alone-to-bali-alone-stunning-family-and-authorities-latest-escapade/5ea74006-32b7-4e6d-86b3-7a28be3427c1 *https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43875266 *https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-did-a-12-year-old-australian-boy-manage-to-fly-to-bali-by-himself/rrqigu7nc *https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/04/24/a-12-year-old-in-australia-had-a-fight-with-his-mom-and-ran-away-to-a-resort-in-bali/ *https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/boy-borrows-parents-credit-card-to-embark-on-fourday-holiday-to-bali-by-himself/news-story/849359a4fe18292b6334bd383952e98a and *https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/28/sydney-how-12-year-old-ran-away-to-bali
Henry Robertson contributed this news story for OneNETnews under 'Horrid Henry' of the now-defunct CITV, now part for ITV News.
-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team
