A Disturbing Incident at Manning Gardens Public School
An eight-year-old girl with autism was accidentally locked inside a sports shed at Manning Gardens Public School in Taree, New South Wales. The incident occurred on October 15, when the girl’s father, Matthew Everingham, went to pick her up at around 2:30 pm. He and his partner, Brooke, were shocked to find their daughter not waiting at the gate as usual.
As they approached the school, they were told by other children that Ruby was missing. Mr. Everingham described the situation as chaotic, with many students rushing past them saying, “They are looking for Ruby” and “Ruby can’t be found.” He emphasized that the school did not even call to inform them of the situation.
Eventually, Mr. Everingham found his daughter being led out of the shed by a teacher and a special needs aide. Ruby was crying uncontrollably. According to Mr. Everingham, the teacher apologized and explained that Ruby had been found inside the sports shed after being locked in for five minutes. The conditions inside were extremely hot, with no air conditioning or ventilation, making it “scorching.”
Mr. Everingham believes that Ruby went missing during outdoor games on “pirate day.” He explained that all the children with higher needs were placed in one group, which made supervision difficult for the teachers and special needs aides. Given that Ruby has watched survival TV shows and has a photographic memory, he speculated that she might have chosen to “hide” in the shed and ended up locked in.
He also mentioned that one staff member claimed they had checked the shed was empty before locking it. However, after reviewing photos of the shed, Mr. Everingham couldn’t understand how Ruby could have hidden there unless she was in the cupboard with the door shut.
Since the incident, Mr. Everingham said he was not directly contacted by the school. Instead, he was contacted by the NSW Department of Education to arrange for his daughter to be enrolled at another school in Taree.
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education stated, “Thankfully, the student was uninjured and did not require medical attention. The matter was reported to police by the school. The school has reviewed its student safety and supervision processes and has taken steps to ensure the door of the sports equipment room can be opened from the inside. The safety and wellbeing of students is our highest priority and we are providing the family with access to counselling services.”
Ruby is reportedly doing well at her current school. The department continues to maintain regular contact with the family to ensure their needs are met and that they have access to all necessary supports.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Mr. Everingham and Manning Gardens Public School for further information.
Similar Incidents and Concerns
This incident raises concerns about student safety and supervision in schools, especially for children with special needs. Other recent cases have highlighted similar issues:
- A missing schoolgirl was last seen on November 27, prompting a desperate plea for help.
- Parents were outraged after a Year 6 girl spent hours alone in an empty school.
- A dramatic lockdown and emergency services intervention occurred at Armidale Secondary College.
- A routine athletics practice turned into a nightmare at an Adelaide school.
These incidents underscore the importance of proper supervision and safety protocols in educational institutions. As the investigation into the incident at Manning Gardens Public School continues, the community remains concerned about the well-being of students and the measures in place to prevent such situations from occurring again.