Court hears chilling details surrounding the death of three-year-old boy who was found dead after allegedly being left in a boiling child care centre bus for six hours
- Dionne Batrice Grills one of two employees charged over death of boy in Cairns
- Toddler found dead inside childcare minibus, where allegedly left for six hours
- Colleagues have given evidence at Grills’ committal hearing, which continues
- Staff recalled conversations with Grills after the boy’s body found inside bus
Harrowing details have emerged about the lead up to the tragic death of a little three-year-old boy allegedly left alone on a child care bus for six hours in sweltering heat.
Maliq Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo, known as Meeky, was found still strapped in a baby car seat on a minibus at Goodstart Early Learning in Edmonton, near Cairns in Far North Queensland last February.
Bus driver and manager Michael Glen Lewis, 45, and Goodstart employee Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, were charged with manslaughter over the toddler’s death.
Police allege the pair collected Meeky from his home and brought him to the centre earlier in the day but didn’t bring him inside with them.
Several child care centre colleagues gave evidence at Grills’ committal hearing in Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
Goodstart Early Learning employee Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, (pictured) was charged over the death of a three-year-old boy allegedly left on a child care minibus for six hours
Cheryl Whittaker recalled speaking to Grills just after Meeky’s body was found, the Cairns Post reported.
‘She mentioned that she’d spoken to Michael about did he get them off (the bus) and he said he did,’ she told the court.
‘I didn’t realise who or what “them” was at that point but now I know it was Meeky.’
Another colleague recalled being with Grills when one of the children told them a child was found ‘asleep on the bus’, the court heard.
Helen Bell told the court Grills had said: ‘I hope he hasn’t done what I think he’s done’, the publication reported.
The court also heard the regular bus driver was on leave on the day of the tragedy.
Assistant director Samantha Hembrow told the hearing Grills was the centre’s out of school hours care coordinator and drove one bus, while Lewis drove the other bus when the regular driver was away.
Michael Glen Lewis, 45, (left) and Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, (right) were charged with manslaughter over the death of toddler Maliq (Meeky) Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo
Grills’ committal hearing continues on Tuesday.
The court previously heard allegations Lewis and Grills signed in Meeky more than two hours before the bus arrived at the daycare centre.
Police allege the boy had been signed in by Mr Lewis at 7.35am on the Goodstart Early Learning Centre’s electronic sign-in system.
However, the boy was not collected from his home by the bus until 9.15am, and CCTV footage showed the bus did not arrive at the centre until 9.33am.
More than 500 mourners farewelled Meeky at his funeral two weeks after the tragedy.
Meeky’s lifeless body was found in the child care minibus (pictured), almost six hours after he was allegedly collected from his home
A national child care provider, Goodstart reviewed its procedures and introduced a national compulsory refresher training for staff in the wake of the tragedy.
It led to new designated roles in the bus system; where staff members were assigned to be a driver, supervisor or checker.
Each have their own roles and duties to make sure kids get on and off the bus safely with the supervisor responsible for making sure no children are left on the bus before getting off.
The checker is responsible for inspecting the bus after it returns to the centre, then double-check the attendance roll and check off children.
Goodstart Early Learning overhauled its procedures in the wake of the tragedy in Cairns.
Tragic timeline of Meeky’s death
February 18 2020 7.35am: Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning Centre manager Michael Glenn Lewis allegedly ‘fraudulently’ checks in the boy on the electric sign-in system.
8.30am: The boy’s mother calls to ask if he can be picked up, as he was not collected on the initial morning run.
9.15am: Lewis and his colleague Dionne Batrice Grills collect the boy from his home on the minibus.
9.33am: The bus pulls into the daycare carpark, but the boy – who is strapped into a baby seat, two seats away from the front door – never gets off, despite being clearly visible.
**During the day the temperature rises to 36C in Cairns.
2.45pm: The bus leaves for the afternoon run, with the boy still in his seat.
3pm: Lewis makes a desperate call to Triple-0, telling the operator: ‘Oh my God, this kid is dead’
Emergency services at the centre after the tragic discovery of Meeky’s body inside the minibus in February 2020