Manslaughter charge dropped against Cairns childcare worker Dionne Batrice Grills after toddler’s death

A manslaughter charge against a former Cairns childcare worker has been dropped, with a court finding she did not have duty of care for a toddler left to die in a minibus.

A MANSLAUGHTER charge against a childcare worker after a toddler was found dead in a minibus has been dropped because she did not have duty of care for the child, a magistrate has found.

Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, appeared in Cairns Courthouse on Tuesday when Magistrate Kevin Priestly discharged her of the charge, saying she had no case to answer and that a reasonable jury would not find a guilty verdict based on the evidence.

Maliq (Meeky) Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo, 3, was found dead inside the minibus belonging to the Edmonton Goodstart Early Learning centre on February 19.

Ms Grills and the centre director Michael Lewis, 45, were both charged with manslaughter as both were allegedly on the bus when he was collected as a late pick-up from his house and driven to the centre.

Goodstart Early Learning employee Dionne Batrice Grills, 34, during an earlier hearing at court, has been discharged of any criminal charges. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

In his remarks, Magistrate Priestly said there was a possibility and probability that Ms Grills left the bus and the duty of care was then left to Mr Lewis.

“There is no evidential basis on which the prosecution might rely to exclude the possibility,” Mr Priestly said.

He also said evidence showed that company policies and procedures also stated that the bus driver was responsible for supervision and transferring children from the bus to the centre.

“It was not a requirement for additional supervision and therefore the driver was the only supervisor required,” he said.

“The statements which have been attributed to Mr Lewis and Ms Grills upon first hearing about what happened are entirely consistent with this scenario and sequence of events.”

Members of the public left flowers and teddies at the Goodstart Early Learning Centre, Edmonton, following the tragic death of a boy, 3, last February. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Outside court, Ms Grills spoke to the media and said she was relieved to be cleared but would “always carry the heartache of Malik’s death for life”.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Malik’s family for their loss,” she said.

During the three-day committal hearing for Ms Grills earlier this month, her lawyer Tony Kimmins had argued that she was not responsible and had no case.

Mr Kimmins said Mr Lewis was driving the bus and, according to the company’s policies, responsible for the boy.

The prosecution had alleged both Mr Lewis and Ms Grills had a duty of care for Maliq.

Mr Lewis remains before the courts.

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Originally published as Manslaughter charge dropped against Cairns childcare worker Dionne Batrice Grills after toddler’s death