Child injured on Beaconsfield State School monkey bars

A concerned mother has called on a regional primary school to do better after her daughter suffered a life-altering injury. Warning: Graphic images.

Rylie Jack was seriously injured in an incident at school.

A concerned mother has called on a Mackay school to do better after her daughter suffered a life-altering injury during a horrific playground incident.

It was seven-year-old Rylie Jack’s second week at Beaconsfield State School.

She was playing on the monkey bars during recess when, following what she said was an incident, she fell face down on the ground on January 30, 2023.

“(The school) said that she’d lost her tooth and her lip was split,” mother Kayla Jack said.

But the reality was much worse.

Rylie Jack, 7, was injured when she fell from the monkey bars during a recess at Beaconsfield Primary School on January 30, 2023. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury

“Her tooth was in her nasal cavity, her lip was severely lacerated … they call it a smash laceration … the lip burst from the amount of force that she hit,” Mrs Jack said.

“Her top jaw was so badly fractured because the tooth went through it, (doctors) removed some of the bone from her top jaw.”

As a result Rylie Jack’s front tooth was forced into her nasal cavity, badly fracturing her top jaw. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury

Mrs Jack said she was “really upset” with how the school handled her daughter’s injury.

“The teacher that was on duty made my daughter walk all the way to the office, which I measured was about 100m on … an uneven surface, in the heat,” she said.

“They said how they couldn’t see how severe the injury was because there was too much blood everywhere.

Rylie’s mother Kayla is unhappy with how the school responded to her daughter’s injury. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury

“They didn’t call an ambulance until after I had arrived.”

Mrs Jack said when she questioned the school why paramedics had not been called she received conflicting information.

“I made a complaint to the Department of Education about that,” she said.

Mother Kayla Jack with her daughter Rylie, 7, who was seriously injured in a playground incident at Beaconsfield State School on January 30, 2023. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury.

Mrs Jack praised her daughter for being “so tough” in the face of a scary wait to find out how bad the damage to her adult teeth will be.

Her other front tooth was also cracked.

“We’ve still got a few more dental appointments,” she said.

“She’s a little girl, having to go through teenage years and adulthood with no front teeth is a bit sad.

X-rays reveal the horrific damage to Rylie’s teeth. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury

“It’s been pretty traumatic, she doesn’t want to go back to school.”

Mrs Jack was calling for the school to have better procedures in place if a similar incident ever happened to another child.

“If it’s a head injury, don’t move them, call an ambulance, maybe get their teachers some first aid training,” she said, adding she had been shocked to learn not all teachers had first aid qualifications.

Beaconsfield State School has said they have spoken with Rylie’s parents about their concerns. Picture: Supplied to Daily Mercury

A Department of Education said all state schools were required to have staff with current first aid training, but the individual schools determined “how many staff need to be trained by considering the health needs of their student population”.

“Beaconsfield State School confirmed staff members holding both first aid and CPR were always present on playground duty,” she said.

The spokeswoman confirmed the school had met with Mrs Jack over her concerns and would “continue to work with the family to ensure the best outcomes for the student”.

“The school and principal completed appropriate reporting and investigation of the incident,” the spokeswoman said.

“The school is committed to the student’s wellbeing, and will continue to support them in any way possible during their recovery.”