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Three Hutt Valley infants stabbed with a carving knife are out of immediate danger, a hospital spokesman has said - but they remain remain in a serious but stable condition this morning.
The 8-week-old boy and his sisters, aged 18 months and 3 years, were rushed to Wellington Hospital on Sunday after being repeatedly stabbed.
A man appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court yesterday charged with assaulting the 3-year-old girl. The man, an unemployed 30-year-old, wore a white boilersuit during his appearance.
His name was suppressed, and he was remanded in custody by consent. Judge Geoffrey Ellis later authorised a psychiatric assessment. Police said further charges were likely.
The children's mother fled from their home and drove to a local takeaway shop to call for help during the attack on Sunday night.
The baby was left with injuries to his abdomen and back as well as internal injuries. The 18-month-old girl had abdominal, chest and neck injuries and her sister had chest, abdominal and facial injuries.
The children all underwent operations on Sunday and spent yesterday under observation in the intensive care ward. They were in a serious but stable condition, a hospital spokesman said.
When police arrived at the scene they broke down the door and found the two girls in a bedroom, covered in blood, Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy of Lower Hutt said.
Their critically injured brother was in the lounge, and the accused was found in another bedroom.
"Because of the severity of the situation, officers used a Taser to overpower the man," Mr Levy said.
"These kiddies are very young and their injuries are severe. They're extremely lucky to be alive."
The family had only just moved into the house, in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae.
The street, Wilkie Crescent, was quiet yesterday.
A police forensic team were examining the house, which was sealed off by emergency tape.
A broken pane of glass in the door and children's clothes on the washing line and scattered across the backyard were the only signs of what happened on Sunday afternoon.
People at nearby homes yesterday afternoon said they were yet to get to know their new neighbours, and were shocked at Sunday's events.
Tailor-made for the Taser
Police say the Tasering of the man they believed stabbed the children in Naenae was the ninth time the controversial weapon had been fired.
The Taser, an electrical stun gun, is being tested as a potential alternative to firearms for police facing violent or armed offenders. However, opponents say it can be lethal to some people, and fear it could mean a de facto armed police force if added to the arsenal.
Since the trial began, police had deployed Tasers 68 times but fired on only nine occasions, said Inspector Terry O'Neill.
The officers involved in Naenae had yet to file a report, he said. While on the surface it looked like the sort of incident the Taser was designed for, the weapon was one of a range of options for police.
The officers at the scene would have had to ask their supervisor before deploying the Taser, and would also have had to tell the target they were armed with the weapon before it was fired.
