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A three-year-old toddler is fighting for her life after she was "forgotten" and left in a hot childcare bus for several hours, Australian police have said.
On Thursday morning Capricornia Police District Detective Inspector Darrin Shadlow said Nevaeh Austin had been left on board the vehicle since 9am, as temperatures around Rockhampton came close to 30C over the course of the day.
It's understood Nevaeh was the only child on the bus that morning and sitting in the second row of the vehicle. The bus driver and another person were also present.
Nevaeh was however left in the bus and only found by staff at 3pm, prior to the centre's after-school pickup service.
"It would appear she was the only child at the time," he told reporters on Thursday.
"When they returned to the centre, the driver and one other person who were in the bus at the time have forgotten that she was there
"It would appear there were some breaches of policy and a young child is fighting for her life in a Brisbane hospital."
Nevaeh, 3, was left on a bus for more than five hours at a Gracemere child care centre. Photo / Supplied
The father of the young girl, Shane Austin, said Nevaeh had been picked up from home on a bus at 9am on Wednesday, before she was taken to the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre on Lucas St in Gracemere, near Rockhampton.
While she was taken to this hospital in a critical condition, Detective Inspector Shadlow said her condition had "stabilised" since Wednesday night.
Emergency services were called to the area just before 3pm, after staff at the centre found the girl in an unresponsive and semiconscious state. Nevaeh was then rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition.
Speaking to the Courier Mail, Austin said his daughter had since been transferred to hospital in Brisbane and was suffering from kidney failure and is receiving a deep brain scan.
"She's the most loudest little girl they tell me … she's the heart of the daycare," he said.
Owner's snap decision after tragedy
As of Thursday morning, Le Smileys Early Learning Centre was closed as police continued their investigation.
The owner of the childcare centre, Michelle O'Rourke said they would be stopping their transportation services in light of the incident, the Courier Mail reports.
"I apologise to families for the inconvenience however, Le Smileys Early Learning Centre will no longer be providing transportation in any form, from this point forward," Ms O'Rouke said in communication to parents.
Police attended the scene at Le Smileys Early Learning Centre as the toddler fights for life. Photo / NCA
It appears the daycare, which operates a branch in Rockhampton and Gracemere, is seeking legal advice, confirmed Detective Inspector Shadlow.
Speaking to media, he said they were "co-operating to a degree," while police continue investigations.
"We will be looking at every person who is culpable in this matter," he added
'I know this feeling all too well'
In February 2020, a similar situation occurred in Cairns when three-year-old Malik 'Meeky' Namok-Malamoo died after being left on a minibus by childcare staff for more than six hours in hot temperatures.
The Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning Centre was fined $71,000 and the bus driver Michael Glen Lewis, who discovered the child, was sentenced to six years in jail over manslaughter chargers.
On Thursday morning, his mother, Muriel Namok appeared on Sunrise where she shared her anger at the situation repeating itself, saying it made her "sick to her stomach".
"This is terrible," she said. "I know this feeling all too well."
Malik Namok-Malamoo was found on a Goodstart Early Learning centre bus at Edmonton, south of Cairns, in February 2020. Photo / Supplied
Ms Namok said that parents should be able to trust childcare centres to protect their children while in daycare, and said they needed to be "held accountable".
"It is important because we are trusting these people with our children. They are taking our children," she said.
"They are taking our children and we are trusting them to bring them back. For this to happen, they need to be held accountable."
Later speaking to Allison Langdon on Today, Malik's godmother, Rowena Bullio, said Wednesday's incident was "unbelievable".
"To hear what happened yesterday, just total disbelief," she said.
Since her son's death, Muriel Namok has been vocal about ensuring no other child dies after being left on a bus. Photo / Supplied
In October 2020, the law was also changed so that educators and child transportation providers must conduct risk assessments and put in place policies to protect children. This includes policies around embarking and disembarking the vehicle so all children are accounted for.
Keppel MP: 'Shouldn't have happened'
Assistant Minister for Education, and the local Labor MP of Keppel, Brittany Lauga also spoke about the incident, saying it "shouldn't have happened".
"Tonight a little girl in Gracemere is fighting for her life in hospital after being allegedly left on a bus at daycare," she said.
"I know this little girl is very much in the thoughts of all of us tonight, wishing for a full recovery. My thoughts are with this little girl's family and friends.
"Families need to have peace of mind that when they send their children off to school, kindy or daycare, they will come home safe."
Police inspecting a bag at Gracemere's Le Smileys Early Learning Centre on Wednesday afternoon. Photo / NCA
Speaking from the childcare centre on Wednesday, Queensland Ambulance Service Central Region operations manager Jason Thompson said the event was "traumatic".
"I get goosebumps just as I speak about it now," he said.
"Police will investigate it thoroughly; it's a trying time no matter what the situation is. You could put yourself in their shoes [childcare centre staff]; they would be very distressed.
"When a child is sick, it is traumatic, and when one is critical and unconscious, your heart goes out to them, the [QAS] crews are travelling well but they are traumatised."
