An uncle of the three-year-old Indigenous boy who died after being left in a daycare minibus in Cairns last week said his family is 'working through' the tragic loss.
"As you can imagine the loss of our little boy has been distressing for the family," the boy's uncle Nick said.
"It's left many of us with the difficult task of trying to come to terms with his loss.
"He was a three-year-old boy who was deeply connected to his siblings, his peers and older children, and he played a big part in a very close-knitted family."
The 45-year-old bus driver Glenn Lewis and Dionne Batrice Grills, a 34-year-old employee who was also on the bus were granted bail at the Cairns Magistrate Court on Tuesday after being charged with manslaughter.
It is alleged that the three-year-old was still strapped to his seat when he was found on the minibus outside the Goodstart Edmonton centre he attends, after being left unattended for at least four hours while temperatures rose above 30 degrees on the day.
A floral tribute left at Hambledon State School to remember the three year old boy who died when left in a day care minibus at Edmonton. Source: AAP
The toddler's uncle Nick thanked the detectives working on the case and the community for the support the family has received.
"For us, as a family, this is an unprecedented incident and consequently its affected the larger community, that's been demonstrated by the support our families have received, and we'd like to thank everyone for their help, their love and their prayers," he said.
Goodstart Edmonton has remained closed since the boy's death last week, and the national minibus service that transports children to and from its centres remains suspended.
