Bluewater State School: Bus driver under investigation after school kids hospitalised

A crime scene has been declared on a Queensland school bus after 14 sick children were taken to hospital after eating lollies mixed with a ‘white substance’ allegedly passed around by a bus driver. VIDEO, PICTURES

More than a dozen Queensland children have been taken to hospital and others assessed by ambulance officers after they became sick from eating lollies given to them by a school bus driver.

It is understood the lollies, which were consumed by 22 students travelling to Bluewater State School near Townsville, were mixed with a ‘white substance’.
Speaking outside the school, Townsville Senior Sergeant Jonathan Searle said the bus was being examined, and the bus driver was “part of our investigation at the moment”.

“From my understanding the children started presenting symptoms within 10-15 minutes of arriving at school,” Sgt Searle said.

“The children were all on the same morning bus. In my 18 years of service this is the first time I’ve ever heard of an investigation of this nature.”

The sick children all suffered from vomiting, diarrhoea and intestinal pain.

Queensland Ambulance confirmed they were called to the school about 10am and that multiple children were treated for “minor illness symptoms after they reportedly ingested an unknown substance”.

A police car outside Bluewater State School. Picture: Daneka Hill

Local member for parliament Nick Dametto said his thoughts went out to the children involved in the ‘bus incident’.

“I have also been in contact throughout the day with Queensland Police who have assured me that every effort is being made to investigate the incident,” Mr Dametto said.

“Toxicology reports vital to the investigation will likely be available to officers tomorrow (Friday).”

Parents and carers of students at the school received a text message about 11.30am alerting them to the incident on “Bus 7”.

“This is to advise, a number of students have reported feeling unwell after eating lollies given to them by a bus driver before school this morning (Bus 7),” the text message read.

“We will be in contact with parents whose student is affected.”
Kinetic, which owns Sunbus - operators of the school bus - said it was supporting police with the investigation.
“We take safety and welfare of all passengers, in particular children and young people, seriously,” it said in a statement.

An ambulance outside Bluewater State School after multiple children were rushed to hospital after eating 'lollies' on a school bus. Picture: Daneka Hill

Bluewater State School has about 430 students from Prep to Year 6, according to its website.It released a statement on its Facebook page just after midday, confirming police are investigating and that parents have been contacted about the incident.

“The Department (of Education) is aware of an incident that occurred today at Bluewater State School which required the assistance of emergency services,” the statement read.

“School staff acted quickly to attend to the students while the Queensland Ambulance Service and parents were contacted. The Queensland Police Service also attended and are investigating.

“Due to privacy issues the department is unable to provide any further information.

“Bluewater State School holds the safety of students and staff as its highest priority. Guidance or counselling services are being made available for anyone who may require support.”

A crime scene has been declared on the bus which is being housed at a depot and police are investigating the incident.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that a “number of children were transported to Townsville University Hospital with minor symptoms”.

“Other children have remained at the school under observation,” she said.

“Police are assisting the Department of Education and Queensland Health who are looking into the cause of a number of children presenting as unwell at a Townsville school this morning.

“Police and emergency services were called to the school at 10.05am and early information indicates the children were all on the same morning bus.”
QAS senior operations supervisor David Wright said Bluewater State Schools student who ingested an unknown substance felt “crook in the tummy”.

Mr Wright confirmed that 22 students, aged between 8 and 12 years, had displayed symptoms of “nausea, abdominal pain and lightheadedness”, with 14 of those hospitalised.

“It is not often we get called to schools to treat such a large number of students at the one time,” he said.

“The school have been making contact with all the parents while we’ve been treating the children and the police have been doing their job investigating.”

Kinetic, which owns Sunbus, said it was supporting police with the investigation. “We take safety and welfare of all passengers, in particular children and young people, seriously. Education Minister Grace Grace wished the students a quick recovery.
“Our thoughts are with the students involved and the broader Bluewater State School community,” she said in a statement.

“I would like to thank the school staff and emergency services for their quick response to support the students.

“Queensland Police Service investigations are ongoing and I am confident they will get to the bottom of this incident.”