Anger at childcare bus horror repeat
THE HAUNTING memories of three-year-old boy “Meeky”, who died after being left on a bus while in the care of a Cairns childcare centre in 2020, have come rushing back after a similar incident in Rockhampton has left a toddler fighting for life.
The family of the deceased Cairns boy have spoken of their “anger” and “disbelief” following reports a girl, Nevaeh, of the same age was found unresponsive and still strapped to a car seat after allegedly being left in a Le Smileys Early Learning Centre van for up to six hours.
The incident has striking similarities to the GoodStart Early Learning Centre tragedy in Cairns, when Maliq Nicholas Lloyd Namok-Malamoo was found dead after being left on a minibus on a hot day.
His mum, Muriel Namok, told the Today show she felt “sick to my stomach” when hearing the plight of Gracemere’s Nevaeh yesterday.
“I know this feeling too well,” she said. “It’s too tragic. Again, why?
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”
Police allege a childcare worker preparing to do the afternoon school pick-up run made the grim discovery of the “forgotten” Rockhampton girl – believing she remained on the bus from 9am until when she was found shortly before 3pm.
She was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition on Wednesday before being flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital. Nevaeh was last night said to be improving.
Meeky’s godmother, Rowena Bullio, said she was “in total disbelief” it had happened again just two years on from their torturous experience.
“There is anger, there is anger now,” she said.
Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said it “beggared belief” such an incident could happen again, let alone so close together. He said adequate protocols must be introduced to prevent further “senseless” tragedies.
“Surely to goodness lessons are learnt from this,” he said.
“It just breaks your heart. “It should have been learnt the last time, but my goodness they need to make sure it happens this time.
“It is just unacceptable and it is so avoidable with a little bit of care.”
No charges have been laid in relation to the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre event.
Multiple police officers, including officers from the Crime Intelligence Command in the Child Trauma Unit in Brisbane, attended the scene and began investigations which are still continuing.
“We also have photographics and our scientific forensic officers attending the scene, just so we can cover bases and get to the bottom of exactly what has happened,” Capricornia District Detective Inspector Darrin Shadlow
“We will leave no stone unturned.”
The girl’s father, Shane Austin, said she had to undergo a deep brain scan as a result of the incident.
“She’s the most loudest little girl they tell me … she’s the heart of the daycare,” he said.