She was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst where doctors performed a marathon surgery to save her right leg.
The hospital is now investigating a potential privacy breach after a photo of O’Neill’s injured leg began spreading on social media and in online chat groups. The photo appears to have been taken inside the emergency department soon after she arrived at the hospital.
The photo shows her bloodied leg,used bandages and a staff member holding her foot.
The hospital’s spokesperson David Faktor told the Herald the privacy breach was being urgently investigated.
“St Vincent’s has become aware of photos in the public domain that appear to have been taken in the emergency department and are related to those of a patient injury,” he said.