KEY POINTS:
A four-month-old baby is in hospital this morning with head injuries after she was hit during an alleged assault on her mother last night.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with two counts of assault with intent to injure, threatening to kill and possession of an offensive weapon - a machete.
He was to appear in Gisborne District Court this morning.
Detective Sergeant Kevin Ford said the baby girl had bruising and swelling to her head following the alleged assault.
She was kept in Gisborne Hospital overnight. A scan was to be performed this morning to ascertain the severity of her injuries.
The mother received minor injuries.
It was understood that the baby was injured during a domestic dispute at a Ranfurly Street house about 8pm yesterday.
The arrested man allegedly went to punch his partner, who was feeding the baby at the time, but missed, striking the baby.
The woman ran upstairs to their bedroom, where her partner allegedly repeatedly punched her.
The woman's father stepped in and tried to stop the man, who allegedly ran downstairs to get a machete.
He was stopped by the father when he attempted to go back up stairs with the weapon.
- NZPA
