Four-year-old seriously injured after being run over

A four-year-old Nelson boy was in a serious but stable condition in Auckland's Starship Hospital with brain injuries this morning after being run over.

Detective Sergeant Mark Kaveney said police believed the boy was run over by the front and rear passenger side wheels of a passing four-wheel-drive utility at 10am yesterday.

He was taken to Nelson Hospital and subsequently flown to Starship Hospital.

Mr Kaveney said the boy had managed to get out from behind a gate at his home before running out from between two parked cars, as he followed a family member who had just left the property.

The utility's driver had been spoken to by police and was in an "extremely distressed" state, he said.

Mr Kaveney said the driver looked back and saw the boy lying on the road, realised immediately what had happened and stopped to help.

"He never saw the child at all and felt a bump. He actually thought he'd run over a cat or something like that."

The boy's family did not see the accident but arrived soon afterwards, "scooped" him up and drove him to Nelson Hospital, which was just a few blocks away, Mr Kaveney said.

It was not known if the boy's injuries were permanent.

"He's got a serious brain injury, so time will tell."

The boy's family was being assisted by Victim Support.

Three detectives, a police photographer, an accident investigator and another officer are investigating the accident.

However, Mr Kaveney said it was unlikely charges would be laid.

"It was a very unfortunate incident, and very sad that a young child has been injured as a result of no one's carelessness. It was an accident."

Police are keen to hear from anyone who saw the accident.

- nzpa