The Queensland Department of Education has fined a central Queensland company $50,000 for leaving a child on a hot bus for six hours in 2022.

The company faced Rockhampton Magistrates’ Court today; Michelle O’Rourke was a director of the company and a defendant in the case.

A visibly shaken Ms O’Rourke pleaded guilty to four charges, including one count each of failing to adequately supervise children and failing to protect a child from harm and/or danger likely to cause injury.

The fifth charge was dismissed.

Defense lawyer Scott Seefeld told the court Ms O’Rourke had cooperated with the regulator at every stage.

He said the company has had department approval since 2011 and has an “excellent track record.”

Five character references were submitted to the court on behalf of Ms O’Rourke; Among them were the parents of children receiving care at the centre.

Acting judge Stephen Byrne read them out during the hearing and noted that the matter had placed a deep burden on the principal.

The court heard new policies and procedures were introduced at the center after the incident and the manager took steps “to promptly resolve the issues”.

Judge Byrne ordered the company to pay a single fine of $50,000, to be paid within 90 days, plus court costs of $2,750.

No convictions were recorded.

The child, a three-year-old girl, was taken from her Gracemere residence near Rockhampton at around 8.30am on May 4, 2022.

He was taken there He went to the child care center in Gracemere but remained on the ship.

The girl remained tied up in the hot bus all day and was found unconscious at 2.45pm.

He was taken to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a critical condition but recovered and survived the incident.

He was the only child allowed on the bus that day.

The two center workers had previously each pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and were sentenced in the Rockhampton District Court in July 2023.

The centre’s former director, Bianca Maree Reynolds, 32, was sentenced to three years in prison, the entire sentence suspended for five years.

Bus driver Tara Alyce Steers, 31, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison and also suspended for five years.

As a result of this incident, both women lost their jobs and became unable to work in the industry.

The Department for Education, the regulatory authority for early childhood education and care services, commissioned DJ and ME O’Rourke, the company that owns the centre.