Department of Education respond to Highland Reserve State School bullying accusations

Authorities are continuing to investigate how a five-year-old Gold Coast boy ended up in a coma as family, who claim he was bullied, have set up a GoFundMe page.

Confusion around alleged school bullying incident leaving child in coma

Authorities are continuing to investigate how a five-year-old Gold Coast boy ended up in a coma as family, who claim he was bullied, have set up a GoFundMe page.

A Gold Coast mum claims her son had been flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital following an alleged incident at Highland Reserve State School in Upper Coomera, in a Facebook post on August 13.

The post alleged her son was “punched in the neck” at school and he had ended up in a medically-induced coma.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said Child Protection and Investigation Unit detectives were investigating after the five-year-old boy was hospitalised.

“The boy remains in the Queensland Children’s Hospital in a serious condition,” they said.

They said efforts to determine what happened to the boy were ongoing.

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson on Thursday said: “As the matter remains under investigation by the Child Protection and Investigation Unit, it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time.

The mother, who declined to comment when the Gold Coast Bulletin asked her for further information, said in the Facebook posts that the alleged bullying incidents happened at the school, shops and in the school playground.

Authorities investigate school bullying accusations

The Department of Education said the school was made aware of the parent’s concerns on Monday, August 7.

“However some of the particulars raised in this media inquiry from the Gold Coast Bulletin appear to be new or additional information,” a spokesperson said.

“The concerns that have been raised around bullying and student behaviour are very serious.

“Highland Reserve State School is responding by investigating the parent’s concerns and providing ongoing support to students and their families.

“Highland Reserve State School’s highest priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its

students and staff.

“The school treats all matters related to harm or suspected harm of its students extremely seriously.”

On August 16 the mother’s aunt created a GoFundMe to help the family pay for “food, rent and monthly bills”.

The description on the GoFundMe stated the five-year-old boy was punched in the throat by a class member and “over a period of a few days the swelling became life threatening and he is on life support”.

Confusion around alleged school bullying incident leaving child in coma

“Doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery but he has a long road ahead of him so we need to help his mum and dad and relieve some financial stress so they can concentrate on getting him back on his feet,” the post said.

More than 77 donations had been made within 16 hours, raising $4,825.

A lady named Nikki Moreta donated $1000 to the GoFundMe.

“I hope this donation helps you and your family in this time of need, please let me know if you need anything else, I’m always happy to help you,” she wrote.

Confusion around alleged school bullying incident leaving child in coma

Authorities are investigating a Gold Coast mum’s allegations that a horrifying school bullying incident left her five-year-old son hospitalised in a coma.

A Gold Coast mum claims her son had been flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital following an alleged incident at Highland Reserve State School, in a Facebook post on community page on August 13.

“My son is currently in a medically induced coma and intubated because another child at his school decided to punch him in the throat,” she said.

“Would you press charges?

“He also took his glasses a few days earlier and smashed them on purpose so it wasn’t an accident that he hit him and he hit him three times in the one day and now we are here.

“We just got told they had to give him CPR.

“The reason behind it was because my son wouldn’t go play where he wanted to so he broke his glasses then cause my son told the teacher he broke the glasses on purpose he punched my child three times once in the neck leading to a haematoma in the neck and now an induced coma.”

Confusion around alleged school bullying incident leaving child in coma

Hundreds of concerned parents responded to the mothers post and said they “couldn’t even imagine”.

“As I read your post I assumed high school, (but) primary school, you have got to be kidding me,” AL Bennet said.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said Child Protection and Investigation Unit detectives were investigating after the five-year-old boy was hospitalised.

“The boy remains in the Queensland Children’s Hospital in a serious condition,” they said.

They said efforts to determine what happened to the boy were ongoing.

The mother, who declined to comment when the Gold Coast Bulletin asked her for further information, said in the Facebook posts that the alleged bullying incidents happened at the school, shops and in the school playground.

Confusion around alleged school bullying incident leaving child in coma

The Department of Education said the school was made aware of the parent’s concerns on Monday August 7.

“However some of the particulars raised in this media inquiry from the Gold Coast Bulletin appear to be new or additional information,” a spokesperson said.

“The concerns that have been raised around bullying and student behaviour are very serious.

“Highland Reserve State School is responding by investigating the parent’s concerns and providing ongoing support to students and their families.

“Highland Reserve State School’s highest priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its

students and staff.

“The school treats all matters related to harm or suspected harm of its students extremely seriously.”

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