THE owner of the Fravira Clinic says the crushing death of a toddler was a freakish accident that could not have been foreseen.
Elvira Brunt this morning gave evidence to a coronial inquest into the death of Sophie Schulz.
The toddler sustained fatal head injuries when, in 2009, she was trapped in the machinery of an electric massage bed at Ms Brunt's clinic.
Sophie had attended the clinic with her mother and older brother, and was playing in the treatment room while her mother received a massage.
Today, Ms Brunt told the inquest she had "repeated and constantly" warned her staff to watch children closely and insure no one, regardless of age approached the hydraulics underneath the beds.
"I never imagined the possibility of this happening," she said.
"I don't believe I could have foreseen it - it's just a freakish accident. I don't really think there was anything more I could do than what I had in place."
Deputy State Coroner Anthony Schapel personally questioned Ms Brunt on her qualifications and what services her clinic provides.
"I manipulate and redirect blood flow... I stimulate blood flow around the body," she said.
"My title is circulatory specialist... I have a medical degree from Old Yugoslavia."
Ms Brunt said that, due to a "pledge" she had made to the Australian Medical Association, she did not advertise nor "hold herself out" as a medical practitioner.
"The profession is not taught in Australia, it is not recognised in Australia and most people don't understand it," she said.
"I manipulate the abdomen region externally with my hands... (patients) obviously feel it's beneficial to them because I have been (in business) for 20 years.
"I do not tell my customers that I am anything, they come to me based on referrals and have usually been informed by others as to what I do."
Mr Schapel asked how long ago Ms Brunt completed her medical internship.
"At the moment I don't know what year we are in," she answered.
Her lawyers repeatedly objected to Mr Schapel's line of questioning, claiming he was acting outside his power as a coroner.
Their complaints were over-ruled.
Ms Brunt said she had always discouraged clients from bringing children to her clinic, and continued to do so since Sophie's death.
Asked why she did not ban children from attending, she replied: "Because I'm a nice person."
Mr Schapel will hand down his findings at a later date.
