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'Could have lost his ear': Mother slams childcare over knife blunder

A childcare centre is under investigation after a knife-scare left a young boy bleeding and traumatised, and his mother is now demanding answers.

During a routine cake cutting ceremony, it took just a moment for five-year-old Kaylieb’s happy day to end in near disaster.

His mother said staff gave one of the children a knife to cut a cake for the preschool graduation but when it was dropped Kaylieb and another child reached in to grab it, cutting Kaylieb’s face from his chin to his ear.

Kaylieb watched on moments before the knife was dropped to the ground. Source: 7 News
Kaylieb watched on moments before the knife was dropped to the ground. Source: 7 News

“It was just the pure shock of it, the screaming of my son and the reality of a knife involved,” his mother Tamara Juleff told 7News.

“He could have lost his ear, could’ve poked his eye out.”

While she is thankful that the cut wasn’t worse, she remains angry that it could have been.

“That’s the cut… it’s healing really nicely and it’s almost gone,” a brave Kaylieb added.

Moments after another boy reached in to pick up the knife, Kaylieb’s face turned to one of terror. Source: 7 News
Moments after another boy reached in to pick up the knife, Kaylieb’s face turned to one of terror. Source: 7 News

She has now demanded an investigation by Liverpool City Council, which runs the centre, into how the incident could’ve happened.

“A teacher handing a knife to a child, a five-year-old child,” the furious mother added.

She says it's now left Kaylieb with nightmares and he refuses to return to the centre.

Liverpool City Council Acting CEO Kiersten Fishburn described the ordeal as “an unfortunate accident”.

While his cut is now healing, the boy's mother is furious that it could have been worse. Source: 7 News
While his cut is now healing, the boy's mother is furious that it could have been worse. Source: 7 News

“As a mother I can particularly understand the stress of the parents so I can give my assurance we will thoroughly investigate and thoroughly review all our policies and procedures,” she added.

Liverpool City Council said it has already taken some action in regards to the children’s access to knives, but his mother is now asking staff to personally apologise to her injured son to help him get over what happened.

“I just want something done to make sure it's not going to happen again.”