Okee Dokee Coomera Rivers: Dashcam footage shows children by road after escaping centre

Praise has been heaped on two school students who were seen rescuing toddlers walking towards a busy Gold Coast road after escaping a child care centre. SEE DASHCAM VIDEO OF WHAT HAPPENED

PRAISE has been heaped on two schoolchildren and other members of the Coomera community who jumped in to save toddlers found wandering on the side of a busy road last Thursday.

Shock footage showed the toddlers running from the Okee Dokee Early childhood care centre in Coomera towards Foxwell Road.

Parents say they were told the children left via a back gate.

Principal of Coomera Rivers State School Vic Graham said he was very proud of the actions shown by his students last week, who were seen on dashcam running to rescue the infants.

“I am very proud of the responsible actions shown by my students,” he said.

“At our school, we consistently speak of ways that we, as citizens, can serve others.

“We want our children to learn that citizenship starts now, as students at school, and not after they finish their schooling.

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The two toddlers seen playing beside the road.

“I managed to catch a quick view of the footage and was immediately impressed by the selflessness shown by the girls. The girls have quite clearly placed the safety of these toddlers ahead of their own.

“I must also applaud the driving of motorists at this time. While I have only briefly viewed the footage, it struck me that nearly every driver reacted quickly and evasively to ensure that the toddlers and my students were kept as safe as possible.

“I value greatly the care that our community shows for each other.”

The Bulletin can also reveal child care centre being investigated for allowing two toddlers on to a busy road was last assessed four years ago.

According to the federal watchdog, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Authority (ACECQA), Okee Dokee was last reviewed as part of its assessment rating in 2016.

At the time it was considered compliant against all federal standards, including children’s health and safety.

The centre exceeded standards when it came to its relationships with families and communities.

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It is understood centres undergo a 10-week assessment period every three or so years, but due to an increase in new businesses reviews may be delayed.

Centres not meeting national standards are visited more regularly than those that do meet thresholds.

Sporadical spot checks can be conducted, but the Department of Education was unable to detail when the last inspection at Okee Dokee took place.

The Education and Care Services National Regulation stipulates providers must ensure children cannot go through, over or under outdoor fences. Failure to do so includes a penalty of $2000.

Child protection advocate Hetty Johnston said while the cause of the incident was not yet known, it served as a reminder of the importance of safety checks and process.

“It is really important for all organisations, particularly those dealing with the most vulnerable like the elderly and children, to be super careful.

“Nothing can be done in halves. This isn’t the first time we have seen similar incidents.

“I am glad for all involved no one was hurt.”

WHAT HAPPENED:

EVERY parent’s worst nightmare became reality in Coomera on Thursday when two toddlers escaped their child care centre and ran towards peak-hour traffic.

The children, both aged 2, were pulled back from the edge of Foxwell Road at 4pm by concerned motorists and schoolchildren after leaving Okee Dokee Coomera Rivers.

Dashcam footage, shot by an approaching car, shows the toddlers running down a hill into oncoming traffic.

The mother of one of the children Aimee Finney said she wasn’t told about the incident by the childcare centre until after 5pm.

She described the incident as her “worst nightmare”, but said she was yet to receive an incident report or any formal notification from the childcare centre about how her two year old daughter Skyla escaped.

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“I wasn’t called until an hour after it happened. I was at work so didn't answer and there was no calls made to my emergency contact numbers,” Ms Finney said.

“I can’t believe it. I wasn’t told she was missing at all.”

Ms Finney said she “felt sick” when the dashcam footage of the close encounter emerged online.

“Skyla is OK now but we were told she got out the back gate and on to the edge of the road.

“It looks like she was in the gutter about to step out on to the road before she was stopped.

“There were cars everywhere.

Amelia Finney and her daughter Skyla.

“We were only told in passing when my step dad came to pick her up. They said they had been trying to call me, but it was only one call.

“They said the gate had been tampered with.

“I am very anxious. She only turned two on Tuesday. How did they not even know she was missing in the first place?

“It is horrifying to see her alone on the side of the street like that.”

One of the children can be seen walking towards traffic.

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A spokesman from Okee Dokee Early Learning Centre Coomera Rivers said they are not making a comment at this time, but were in contact with the education department concerning the incident.

“The incident is under currently under investigation and parents have been advised,” they said.

“We are in the process of compiling an incident report to the Department.”

“No harm was brought to any child.”

The Coomera couple who captured the incident on camera, Rondelle Nicol and Craig Rogers, said it was a close call.

“We were just driving back from the shops and as we came off the roundabout we saw the two babies with nobody nearby,” Ms Nicol said.

“At first we thought the parent must be back a bit too far and had let them run ahead, but then we realised there were no parents at all.

“Then we saw the girls up ahead and thought they must have been related and were being a bit irresponsible by letting the babies run off ahead – but we realised they were actually all alone.

“We pulled over straight away to try and stop anything bad happening.

“Staff said they didn’t know the gate was open and didn’t know where the babies were.”

The mother who spoke to the Bulletin said she had contacted police about the incident. She thanked everyone who stopped to help her daughter.

Authorised Officers from the Department of Education attend the Coomera facility Friday to investigate what they deemed to be a ‘serious incident’

“As the investigation has only just commenced it is too early to identify potential breaches and relevant penalties,” a spokesman said.

Police are making inquiries into the matter.