Goodstart Early Learning sentenced after pleading guilty to three charges over boy’s death

Childcare provider Goodstart Early Learning has been sentenced over the “deeply traumatic” death of a three-year-old boy at its Edmonton centre.

CHILDCARE provider Goodstart Early Learning has been fined $71,000 over the “deeply traumatic” death of a three-year-old boy at its Edmonton centre in 2020.

The company entered pleas of guilty to one count of failing to adequately supervise children, failing to protect children from harm/hazard likely to cause injury and failing to take reasonable steps to ensure documentation is accurate.

The court heard Maliq “Meeky” Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo died after being left on a bus for several hours, and that neither centre director Michael Lewis nor before and after school co-ordinator Dionne Grills took any steps to sign him in or off the bus, in contravention of company policies.

It wasn’t until about 3.15pm that Mr Lewis, on another bus trip, opened the back door of the bus and discovered Meeky, prosecutor Simon Hamlyn-Harris told the court.

Mr Lewis pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February of this year and was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

A fresh manslaughter charge has been brought against Ms Grills after she was previously cleared of wrongdoing.

She is yet to enter a plea.

Both Goodstart’s defence barrister Daniel Pratt and Acting Magistrate Ann Gummow acknowledged Meeky’s family, who were present in court on Wednesday.

“This has been a deeply traumatic event not only for your family and the community but also for the Goodstart staff and families and of the whole early childhood sector,” Ms Gummow said.

Michael Glenn Lewis. Picture: Brendan Radke

Dionne Batrice Grills.

She said it was hard to imagine “anything more serious” than the offences before her.

In sentencing Goodstart, she took into account the extensive amount of work the company had done to update its policies and procedures since the tragic incident, and she said she fully accepted the company’s remorse.

She imposed $71,000 in fines, and ordered Goodstart pay $1500 costs.

A conviction was recorded.

Goodstart CEO Julia Davison, who was also present in court, said the responsibility for the tragic event ultimately sat with the organisation.

“We again offer our deepest sorrow to the family of Meeky - Malik Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo”, Ms Davison said.

Members of the public laid flowers and left teddies at the Goodstart Early Learning Centre, Edmonton, following the tragic death of Maliq “Meeky” Namok-Malamoo. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“Goodstart entered a guilty plea to the charges brought by the Department of Education because it is clear that our policies and procedures did not protect Meeky on the day of his death.

“This tragedy would not have occurred if the policies in place on the day had been followed but they were not, and for this failure we are deeply sorry.

“The Goodstart team remains deeply affected by the incident in Cairns last year.”

In the months since Meeky’s death, Goodstart has moved to further strengthen our processes, policies, training and assurance systems, Ms Davison said.

The Edmonton centre has been permanently closed.

Originally published as Goodstart Early Learning sentenced after pleading guilty to three charges over boy’s death