An Australian mother is facing a police investigation after she covertly placed a recording device in her son’s pocket, suspecting something was amiss when he began returning home with unexplained bruises.
Skye Cooper’s son, who has autism, is non-verbal and experiences epilepsy, was a student at a primary school located in eastern Victoria.
Roughly a year ago, Ms. Cooper first noticed bruises on her son’s arm. However, it was his escalating distress during school drop-offs that truly raised her suspicions.
“When he repeatedly came home with bruises, we decided to monitor the situation closely,” the 36-year-old shared with the Daily Mail on Thursday.
“He became extremely agitated during school drop-offs. For a non-verbal child, he communicated quite clearly that he did not want to leave the car.”
“Prior to attending that school, and after leaving it, he never exhibited aggression or similar behaviors,” she added.
Ms Cooper had heard stories of other worried parents fitting their children with listening devices, so she decided to buy one online.
Every morning from June to October 2025, she would place the device in his pocket. After listening back to the recordings, she was stunned by what she heard.
Skye Cooper went to great lengths to find out what her son was experiencing at school
She claimed to have heard a teacher’s aide, who worked with her son, warning him: ‘If you hurt me, I’ll hurt you’.
‘That was said at least three times. I couldn’t keep putting him through that and I had enough evidence to pull him out of that school,’ Ms Cooper alleged.
‘He copped a lot of verbal abuse from the teacher’s aide he was working with one-on-one, and school staff and the children.
‘It got worse, and you could hear him screaming in the recording. He was quite distraught. It was heartbreaking to listen to.
‘I’m trying to protect my child. I went to the Victorian Disability Workers Commission to make a formal complaint.
‘During that time, the aide had denied it because they were unaware of the recordings. It was only after the recordings were produced that they sent me that piss-poor apology (letter).’
In the letter, the aide said she ‘cannot specifically recall stating these words’ but was ‘remorseful such a statement was made’.
‘I clearly used words that I should not have used,’ the aide said in her apology.
Ms Cooper’s son started coming home with bruises which looked like finger marks (pictured)
The Daily Mail is not suggesting the aide was responsible for the child’s bruises.
Ms Cooper has since enrolled her son in another school where she said he’s been doing a lot better.
But the Aussie mum has a new fight on her hands – with Victoria Police.
In Victoria, it is a criminal offence to use a listening device to record a private conversation without the consent of others involved.
Ms Cooper was questioned by police, but ultimately released.
‘I thought it was ridiculous,’ she said.
She told the Daily Mail she didn’t regret her actions despite the police intervention.
‘I still would’ve done it,’ she said.
‘I think any mother would self-sacrifice to protect their child.’
In a statement, the Department of Education said the safety of students at school is the priority of both the department and educators.
‘We always urge parents or carers to raise any safety concerns directly with their school so they can be investigated fully,’ a spokesperson said.
Victoria Police said in a statement: ‘Police interviewed a woman as part of an investigation into a report of a listening device at a school in [location] between July and October 2025.’
‘A 36-year-old woman was released pending further enquiries. The investigation remains ongoing, and we are unable to provide further details at this stage.’
The Daily Mail has contacted the school for comment.
