Teen charged over tot's injuries

The police cordon in place after the assault of a 2-year-old in Flaxmere.

A teenager has been charged with assaulting a 2-year-old boy, who remained in a critical condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital last night.

The 17-year-old youth appeared briefly in Hastings District Court yesterday, after being charged in an investigation which followed the boy's admission to hospital on Monday morning.

Police believe the boy's injuries were "non-accidental" and were received at the child's home in Columbus Cres, Flaxmere, from where he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

He was treated for head injuries and remained in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit, said police Eastern District communications manager Kris McGehan.

Police and ESR specialists yesterday carried out a scene examination at the property in Columbus Cres.

In court yesterday afternoon, Judge Bridget Mackintosh granted the youth bail despite police opposition to an application lodged by lawyer Cliff Church, standing in for Russell Fairbrother QC.

With family members looking on from the public gallery, the youth was remanded without plea to appear again on November 3, and granted interim name suppression.

Police were not releasing any further details, and the name of the child is unable to be published.

The examination of the property was understood to have been completed late yesterday.

Chief executive of Flaxmere's U-Turn Trust, Ana Apatu, said the incident was likely an unfortunate symptom of the burden of stress.

"It's sad that families are placed under such horrendous stress that it can be taken out on a child."

She said Hastings councillor of the Flaxmere ward, Henare O'Keefe, had been advising people to "go home and be good mothers and fathers above everything else".

"It's no excuse, children are the most important treasures we have," Ms Apatu said.

"There are so many good families out there and we need to learn to reach out before stresses become too much."

She said there were a number of great support networks and it was a matter of ensuring people know where to go to get help.

"Education is the best form of prevention, it's about caring for one another," Ms Apatu said.