Two women charged after toddler found unconscious on daycare bus

Queensland Police (QPS) have charged two women who allegedly left three-year-old Nevaeh Austin on a daycare bus in the heat on May 4.

QPS announced in a statement that “detectives from Rockhampton Child Protection and Investigation Unit have charged two women in relation to a child who was found unconscious on a bus at Gracemere on May 4.”

“Today, a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman, both from Gracemere, were served a notice to appear for one count each of grievous bodily harm. They are due to appear in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on July 26,” the statement read.

The toddler was allegedly found unconscious in the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre minibus around 3:00 pm, after allegedly being left on the bus since she was picked up at 8:30 am that morning. It’s also alleged she was the only child picked up by the two women.

Nevaeh Austin, the 3-year-old girl found unresponsive on a daycare bus near Rockhampton remains in a critical condition this morning.

Her father has told me:

“She’s the loudest child, the most energetic child, she was the heart of her daycare.”

Details shortly @TheTodayShow pic.twitter.com/eWZOSM1Y7E

— Reece D’Alessandro (@R_DAlessandro9) May 4, 2022

The young girl’s father, Shane Austin, revealed at the time that Neveah had suffered serious health effects from the shocking ordeal, saying she’d been taken to a Brisbane hospital “for a deep brain scan” and “her kidney was failing”.

Neveah was discharged from the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane six days after the incident.

Nevaeh’s dad Shane has posted this picture of his little girl.

She’s tired, but doing well.

Great news. @9NewsAUS @9NewsQueensland pic.twitter.com/JUI1IXcACT

— Reece D’Alessandro (@R_DAlessandro9) May 6, 2022

Queensland Ambulance Service Central Region Operations Manager, Jason Thompson described the “traumatic” ordeal to reporters.

“On the crew’s arrival, Queensland Police were already on scene and escorted the crew into the childcare centre where the young child was on the floor in the admin area,” Thompson revealed.

Thompson said the heart-wrenching incident gave him goosebumps.

“I get goosebumps just as I speak about it now,” Thompson admitted.

“When a child is sick, it’s traumatic, and when one is as critical and unconscious, your heart goes out to them.”

According to the Courier Mail, Michelle O’Rouke, owner of Le Smileys Early Learning Centre in Gracemere informed parents that the centre would cease all forms of transportation.

“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,” she said.