Crash survivor who lost her mum when a ute smashed into their car forced to sit in soiled nappies at school

By SAVANNAH MEACHAM FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: 02:11 BST, 17 June 2025 | Updated: 03:52 BST, 17 June 2025

A child who survived a head-on crash that killed her mother has been forced to sit in soiled nappies at school after her bid for a carer was knocked back.

Mum-of-two Natasha Wilson was taking her kids to get ice cream at McDonald’s after school in Mt Isa, in northwest Queensland, in 2019 when a ute hit their car.

Natasha was killed while her two-year-old daughter, Amateil Speers, was left with brain and spinal injuries and her older brother Mason suffered a broken neck.

Amateil is in year three at Raceview State School in Ipswich after defying medical concerns that she would never walk or have proper use of her bowels and bladder.

The eight-year-old can use the toilet at home with assistance but is unable to do so at school without support, so she is made to wear pull-up nappies that staff change twice a day during lunch breaks.

The National Injury Insurance Scheme has offered to fund a full-time carer to help Amateil to the bathroom during class, but her grandmother claims the school has turned this down.

Grandmother Sharon Wilson said Amateil has come home on several occasions with different clothes on because her nappy wasn’t changed before it soaked through her own pants.

She also fears the young girl will have to undergo unnecessary bladder surgery if she is unable to use the toilet at school.

Amateil Speers (pictured) was left with spinal and brain injuries following a 2019 car crash that killed her mother and seriously injured her brother Mason

Eight-year-old Amateil is unable to use the bathrooms at school without support

‘No matter what Amateil has been through, “Oh she’ll be okay, just put her in a corner and forget about her”,’ Ms Wilson said.

‘You can’t do that. Her injuries are part of her, that’s what makes her, so just take her seriously.

‘It’s so frustrating, just trying to get someone to listen and understand what we’re going through,’ she said.

For Amateil, she just wants to be like the other kids at school.

‘I don’t like the silly decisions the grown ups are doing. I just want to play with my friends but I can’t,’ she said.

A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Education denied rejecting any requests for Amateil to be given access to a support worker. 

‘The school has no record of the alleged incident and has not declined a support worker,’ they said.     

Shine Lawyers is currently representing the family in a Compulsory Third Party insurance claim from the crash in 2019. 

Amateil’s grandmother and guardian, Sharon Wilson, claimed her school has repeatedly knocked back her requests for a full-time support worker to help her granddaughter

Amateil has lived with her grandma since her mother died when she was two-years-old

There has been no civil claim launched against the school, but Shine Lawyers solicitor Madeleine Routley hopes Amateil will receive the care she needs.

‘The school is robbing this young girl of her dignity,’ she said.

‘It would really empower her in terms of her recovery, because using the toilet is something doctors thought she’d never be able to do.’

The Department of Education spokesperson said it was providing support for Amateil. 

‘Students’ health needs are always a top priority, and the school continues to work with the family and a team of health workers to implement and review the current toileting plan to support the student,’ the spokesperson said.

‘Teacher aides are always available to assist if needed, and the school has recently upgraded the bathroom to cater exclusively for this student’s needs.’

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Crash survivor who lost her mum when a ute smashed into their car forced to sit in soiled nappies at school

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