General News
25 February, 2020
Minibus driver charged with manslaughter of three-year-old gets bail
A man has been granted bail after being accused of the manslaughter of a Cairns toddler who was found dead on the minibus he was allegedly employed to drive.
A man has been granted bail after being accused of the manslaughter of a Cairns toddler who was found dead on the minibus he was allegedly employed to drive.
Michael Glenn Lewis who was the minibus driver and the child care centre's manager, and casual child care centre worker Dionne Batrice Grills, appeared in Cairns Magistrates Court today.
Both were charged with manslaughter and both were was also granted bail.
Police believe the boy was picked up from a Mount Sheridan property about 9 am last Tuesday and should have been taken to the Goodstart Early Learning Centre at Edmonton.
The boy was left on the bus when it was parked for the day outside Hambledon State School, about 1.7km from the childcare centre, police allege.
His body was found in the vehicle at 3.15 pm that day
In the Cairns Magistrates Court, Senior Sergeant Maynard Marcum read the court a transcript of the triple zero call made by the childcare centre's manage, after he found the boy.
"Oh my God, this kid is dead.
"Oh my God. I'm the director of the childcare centre.
"The child was left on the bus all day.
"I've just opened up the bus and he's here, dead.
"... I'm so sorry buddy.
"I'm going to jail, this is my fault.
"Oh my God. My whole life is over."
In a press conference, Acting Detective Inspector Jason Smith said: “The manslaughter charge refers to an act or omission which is negligent and has brought about the death of another person.”
He said the bus came to be outside the school as part of the vehicle’s planned route for the day and at this stage, no other workers were being investigated over the boy’s death.
