Ten detectives, one month, no arrests: Flaxmere boy's grandfather's awful wait for 'justice'

The house on Ramsey Cres, Flaxmere where the four-year-old was brutally beaten. Photo / Paul Taylor

One month, 10 detectives, no arrest.

The case of a four year-old boy who police believe was a victim of a prolonged and brutal beating continues to frustrate officers, and the nation.

The updates on the investigation, which started when it was reported to police on January 29 by the boy's family, have become sparse in recent weeks.

Officer in charge of the investigation Detective Inspector Mike Foster has provided few insights in the past fortnight.

But the fires were stoked when Foster said on February 11 that the boy's injuries were some of the worst he had seen in his 30 years of policing, comparing them to murdered boy James Whakaruru, who was killed in 1999.

He also said members of the boy's family were withholding crucial information and they needed to come forward and share what they knew.

Extended whanau were present at the address on Ramsey Cres, along with his stepmother and father on the day the incident was reported.

The boy, who Hawke's Bay Today has not named for legal reasons, was taken to the Hawke's Bay Hospital, then flown to Wellington Hospital with critical injuries.

On January 31 he was transported to the Starship Hospital. He's been in a stable condition since early February.

Foster told Hawke's Bay Today this week there were 10 detectives assigned to the case and the investigation was progressing well.

Detective Inspector Mike Foster is encouraging people to come forward if they have any information about the four-year-old. Photo / File

Foster said the boy, who was likely to be severely disabled and brain damaged, was "still a sick little boy".

He was in the care of Starship staff and other than hospital staff, there were no security measures in place for the boy, he said.

"There is no police officer with him," Foster confirmed.

He said they were engaging well with extended family but continued to ask anyone with information to come forward.

A police spokeswoman said police understood the distressing nature of the incident had caused upset and concern in the community.

"However, we ask people to allow police to continue their work and urge against any speculation or action which may have the potential to impact these inquiries," she said.

Dion Te Ahu, the boy's grandfather said the family were hoping for the swift completion of the investigation.

"The child that was hurt is my moko," Te Ahu said.

"He is still recovering in Starship. We are working closely with police with anything they need for the investigation.

"We have been misrepresented by media and some family members as unhelpful and withholding information from the police, which is not correct," he said.

Business as normal on Ramsey Cres, Flaxmere. Photo / Paul Taylor

He said the family were not "hiding" anything.

"We are not protecting anybody and we want justice just as much as anybody else, if not more. We have been working with police from the start," Te Ahu said.

"We are hoping for the investigation to be completed as fast as possible with an outcome.

"We thank everyone for their prayers and the pictures they have sent in. They are lovely."

The family of the boy were previously known to Oranga Tamariki - it's understood the boy had been previously injured at the address in what was claimed was a bouncy castle fall.

He was then returned to the home in January after what OT said was "extensive work with the family over many months".

Te Ahu said the extended family was now doing its best to work with OT on a solution.

The other children in the boy's family were "safe", he said.