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A four-year-old girl was seriously injured last night after she apparently stepped out of a caravan being towed near Gisborne.
A father and son living on Makorori Beach Road heard the child screaming and went to investigate around 11pm, St John Ambulance district manager Shane Clapperton said.
They found the girl on the side of the road with serious head injuries, bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears, and called emergency services.
However, when police arrived the girl had been picked up by her family.
Police spent around two hours trying to track them down before locating them en route to Gisborne Hospital and then escorted them there.
The father of the girl apparently left before police could interview him.
He was located a short time later and arrested on warrants, police said.
Traffic police and CIB were continuing their investigations today.
It was believed the girl was sleeping in the caravan before she stepped out.
She was in a stable condition today.
- NZPA
