Frankston Library launches probe after locking sleeping 14-year-old girl in library at night
A TEENAGE girl was distressed and hysterical after she fell asleep at Frankston Library and woke to find herself locked in after staff had left for the day.
South East
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FRANKSTON Libraries have launched an investigation into how a sleeping 14-year-old girl could have been locked inside the library at night.
Jemah Burley woke up in pitch darkness after popping in to drop off a book — and dropping off herself in one of the chairs.
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“It was dark, I was scared,” she said.
Mum Maxine Burley said when her daughter failed to meet her out the front of the library as arranged, she became very worried and drove around Frankston frantically trying to find her.
It was only when she drove back to the library an hour later to check again that she noticed a hand banging on the door.
“She was hysterical. She sat down and was crying. She didn’t know what to do,” she said.
Video taken by family members captures the distressed teen crying inside the library as Ms Burley and others try to calm her down.
Family members can be heard telling Jemah to look for a button near the door, which she eventually pushes to get out of the building.
Council acting chief executive Tim Frederico described what had occurred as a “truly unfortunate incident”.
“We have been in contact with the girl’s parents and are doing everything we can do support them,” he said
“While Frankston City Libraries have strong closing procedures in place, we are undertaking an internal investigation and reviewing processes to identify where improvements may be made.
“We look forward to welcoming the young lady back to the library whenever she is ready.”
Ms Burley said library officials told her they would review their procedure for checking whether patrons were still in the building before it closed.