Editorial: Call to protect our vulnerable

As another baby fights for his life in Auckland's Starship Hospital after suffering injuries thought to be non accidental I feel sickened and helpless.

This baby is 4-months-old. He can't run, he can't scream stop - he can cry but that's what babies do.

Neighbours or passersby would probably think nothing of hearing a baby cry.

As a mother of four I know what it's like to feel harassed and at the end of my tether. One of my children was an expert at winding me up.

She would push and push until I had to put her in her room out of my sight.

I could imagine giving her a tap on the bottom ... she was 5, she knew she was being naughty.

What I can't imagine is disciplining a 4-month old baby, there is just no sense in it.

Police and forensic experts have been examining a house in Wairoa and are working with family medical staff and Child, Youth and Family.

I'm not going to speculate about this case because I don't know enough about it.

What I will say is - are we doing enough to help these innocent babies?

What is the answer?

Some say that people who do these sorts of things need help, others say they should be locked up, and some say sterilise them so they can't have children therefore can't hurt them.

I don't know what the answer is, I just know we need to find it before another precious little person is hurt.