Tragic bus boy doubts

‘ Accused queried child’s location’

THE daycare bus driver jointly charged over the death of a young boy left onboard for six hours allegedly told a colleague she checked with the centre director whether he had taken him off the bus.

The body of Maliq ( Meeky) Nicholas Floyd Namok- Malamoo, 3, was tragically located inside the minibus belonging to the Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning centre, south of Cairns, on February 19.

Police allege he was left on board alone for about six hours.

Former centre director Michael Glenn Lewis, 45, and former staff member Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, have both been charged with manslaughter.

Police have alleged Mr Lewis was driving and Ms Grills, who had only started working at the centre a month earlier, was a passenger on the bus which collected Meeky and brought him to the centre.

During a committal hearing for Ms Grills in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday, the court heard evidence from a colleague, Cheryl Whittaker, who said she spoke to her just after the boy’s body was found.

“She mentioned she’d spoken to Michael about did he get them off ( the bus) and he said he did,” she said.

“I didn’t realise who or what “them” was at that point but now I know it was Meeky.”

Another colleague Helen Bell, who worked casually at the centre and occasionally drove one of its two buses, said she was with Ms Grills when one of the children told them a child was found “asleep on the bus”.

She said Ms Grills said to her: “I hope he hasn’t done what I think he’s done”.

Ms Bell told the court that comment was referring to Mr Lewis as he had been driving the bus.

The court has previously heard the boy was initially forgotten on the morning bus run and the pair had to return to his house to collect him.

Ms Grills’ barrister Tony Kimmins told the court they understood her manslaughter charge stemmed from alleged criminal negligence.

The hearing continues today.