THE heartbroken mum of a Cairns toddler left to die on a daycare bus has spoken out about her family s anguish and desperate bid for justice . Maliq Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo, 3, known as Meeky , was allegedly left on the Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning Centre bus on February 18 last year for more than six hours after being picked up by centre director Michael Lewis, 45, and worker Dionne Grills, 34. Both were originally charged with his manslaughter and Mr Lewis has been committed to stand trial, but a magistrate last month found Ms Grills had no case to answer and dropped the charge. Â Police officers examine the Goodstart Early Learning Centre minibus in Febuary 2020. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE
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Premium Content A little boy who died on a daycare bus was among more than 16,000 Australian children seriously harmed or sick in childcare last year. A record 13,077 babies, toddlers and preschoolers suffered a serious injury, trauma or illness - including broken bones, burns, cuts, concussions, anaphylaxis reactions and severe asthma attacks - requiring urgent medical attention in 2019/20. Ambulances were called to daycare emergencies 2145 times and 1409 children went missing, or were mistakenly locked in or out of services or taken away without approval. A total of 16,632 serious incidents were reported to state and territory childcare authorities, a new Productivity Commission report reveals today.
A little boy who died on a daycare bus was among more than 16,000 Australian children seriously harmed or sick in childcare last year. A record 13,077 babies, toddlers and preschoolers suffered a serious injury, trauma or illness - including broken bones, burns, cuts, concussions, anaphylaxis reactions and severe asthma attacks - requiring urgent medical attention in 2019/20. Ambulances were called to daycare emergencies 2145 times and 1409 children went missing, or were mistakenly locked in or out of services or taken away without approval. Most “serious incidents’’ happened in NSW, with 5013 cases of injury trauma or illness. A total of 16,632 serious incidents were reported to state and territory childcare authorities, a new Productivity Commission report reveals today.
Cairns childcare worker Dionne Batrice Grills has manslaughter charge dropped over death of toddler left on minibus
WedWednesday 20
updated
WedWednesday 20
JanJanuary 2021 at 2:57pm
Dionne Batrice Grills read a statement outside the Cairns Magistrates Court after having a charge of manslaughter dropped.
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A former childcare worker has had a charge of manslaughter dropped over the death of a toddler who was allegedly left behind on a minibus, after a court found she did not have a duty of care to the child.
Key points:
Dionne Batrice Grills was found to not have a duty of care to the child
Charge dropped against childcare worker over toddler death A manslaughter charge against a childcare worker accused of leaving a toddler to die in a minibus has been dropped.
Crime by Toby Vue
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Subscriber only A MANSLAUGHTER charge against a childcare worker after a toddler was found dead in a minibus has been dropped because she did not have duty of care for the child, a magistrate has found. Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, appeared in Cairns Courthouse on Tuesday when Magistrate Kevin Priestly discharged her of the charge, saying she had no case to answer and that a reasonable jury would not find a guilty verdict based on the evidence.