Warwick mother calls for answers from primary school after five-year-old was seriously injured

A southwest Queensland mother is calling for accountability from her son’s primary school, claiming she wasn’t properly informed when her five-year-old suffered a devastating playground fall that required emergency dental surgery. WARNING: GRAPHIC.

Prep student Xander had emergency dental surgery to remove the teeth stuck in his gum as a result of his playground accident on March 5, 2024.

When Shakira Butler received a call that her five-year-old son had hurt his lip at school she was unaware that he had been bleeding profusely and the injuries would require emergency dental surgery.

The Warwick mother was left appalled by the primary school’s apparent lack of communication and response after she picked up her son Xander last Tuesday, and saw three of his teeth had snapped at the gum and pierced through his lip in a morning playground accident.

“I was in absolute shock when I saw him,” she said.

Ms Butler said after the accident efforts were made to clean up the blood from Xander’s mouth before sending him back to class with an ice pack.

Ms Butler said she wasn’t contacted by the school about the incident until after her son was sent back a second time for mending due to concerns about the amount of blood still coming from his mouth.

“I’d had a call to say he’d hurt his lip but that he was OK, and that was the only contact I had from them,” she said.

Prep student Xander had emergency dental surgery to remove the teeth stuck in his gum as a result of his playground accident on March 5, 2024.

When Ms Butler went to speak with the school at pick up and questioned why more hadn’t been done to assess her son’s injuries, she claims she was told “they didn’t think his injuries were that bad so they didn’t bother looking in his mouth”.

At her son’s second presentation to have the injuries mended, he was given ‘butterfly Band-Aids’ to put over his mouth and sent back to the classroom.

“I understand that accidents happen at school and it’s not policy to go looking in students’ mouths, but if I had known how bad it was I could’ve picked him up and taken him to hospital earlier,” she said.

Given the state of the injuries to his mouth, Ms Butler took her son to Warwick Hospital where nurses were shocked by the damage inside her son’s mouth.

Due to the high risk of infection, staff decided not to stitch up his mouth.

An emergency dental procedure was scheduled the following day to have the front teeth that were still caught in the gum removed.

Xander's lip almost a week post-incident.

Unsatisfied by her conversation with the school about their lack of communication, Ms Butler took her concerns to the Department of Education.

Ms Butler claimed she was told by a representative from the Darling Downs South West regional office that it ‘wasn’t their problem’ and she should take it up with the school.

Ms Butler was later advised the department would forward her complaint to the school.

The school is yet to confirm their availability for a meeting with Ms Butler to discuss her concerns.

Warwick Daily News reached out to the school and Department of Education for comment about the issues raised by Ms Butler.

Two of Xander's front baby teeth were required to be surgically removed as a result of his playground incident.

A Queensland Education spokesman said the department was aware of the incident and were committed to continuing to work with Ms Butler and her family moving forward.

“The department has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality of student information and cannot comment on individual matters,” the spokesman said.

“The school has confirmed all permanent teachers, teacher aides and the business services manager hold current first aid certificates.

“It also has access to a Regional Clinical Nurse for advice on Individual Health Management Procedures and a Health Nurse by appointment only, not for day to day first aid.”

The DOE spokesman said following the incident, the school completed the appropriate reporting into the matter and will review the existing first aid procedures with staff.

“When parents raise issues of concern every effort is made to work collaboratively to provide the best outcome for students,” the spokesman said.

“The school and department remain committed to continuing to work with this family moving forward.”