Childcare worker, 34, and driver, 45, are charged with manslaughter over the death of a little boy, 3, found dead on a minibus in 36C heat
- Two daycare workers have faced court over the death of boy in Cairns last week
- Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, had only worked at the daycare for less than a month
- The centre manager Michael Glenn Lewis, 45, was also charged over tragedy
- Police allege a three-year-old boy was left on bus for up to six hours in 36C heat
- Body was found inside minibus parked outside Hambledon State School, Cairns
A daycare worker charged over the death of a three-year-old boy allegedly left inside a scorching hot minibus for almost six hours had worked at the centre for less than a month.
Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, fronted the Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with manslaughter over the tragic death of the toddler on February 18.
The boy’s body was found in the vehicle parked some two kilometres away from the Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning Centre daycare about 3.15pm.
He had allegedly been onboard since 9.30am, with temperatures in Cairns reaching 36C that day.
Ms Grills – an employee at the daycare centre – and Michael Glenn Lewis – the centre manager and minibus driver – were both charged with manslaughter over the child’s death and ordered to face court on Tuesday.
Dionne Batrice Grills (pictured), 34, fronted the Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with manslaughter over the tragic death of the toddler on February 18
The grim discovery was made on Stokes Street, Edmonton, in Far North Queensland, at 3.15pm on Tuesday. Pictured: the scene where police are investigating
Police allege Ms Grills was on the bus with Mr Lewis for the morning run, before the centre manager made the grim discovery when he returned later that afternoon.
The court heard that Ms Grills had been employed at the daycare centre for less than a month when the incident occurred.
Ms Grills was granted strict conditional bail and is forbidden from contacting her ex- colleagues, her co-accused or the dead child’s family, except through her lawyers.
She was ordered to return to court on March 18
The shattered family of the young boy were in court for the brief hearing.
Queensland Police detective acting inspector Jason Smith said he hoped to give them some ‘answers’.
‘Her position as an employee of Goodstart Early Learning puts an element of responsibility upon her, and that forms part of the circumstances before the court,’ Det Act Insp Smith said.
‘The family are suitably distressed and very upset about this, and hopefully now that the matter is before the court they will get the answers that they need.’
The boy was found in a bus outside Hambledon State School, just 1.7km from his daycare, Goodstart Early Learning, in Edmonton (pictured)
Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death
A spokesman for Goodstart Early Learning, which operated the bus, previously told Daily Mail Australia the company was ‘devastated’ to learn of the child’s death.
‘We are working to support the entire centre team, our families and our children,’ the spokesman said.
‘The matter is now a police investigation and we will be working with the police, Department of Education (childhood education and care), and Workplace health and Safety.
‘Our thoughts are very much with the family of the child at this time.’
The centre was closed on the day after the tragedy, with an ominous sign in its car park reading ‘do not leave babies and children in parked cars’.