KEY POINTS:
Two people have been charged in connection with the ill treatment of an 18-month-old West Auckland boy who has suffered seven broken bones in his short life.
The 27-year-old man and 30-year-old woman have been remanded on police bail and are due to appear in the Waitakere District Court on Thursday.
They were arrested and charged with cruelty to a child yesterday morning following a two-week investigation into the toddler's injuries.
The boy was admitted to Starship hospital on July 23 with a thigh that was so swollen police say he would have been in excruciating pain.
X-rays showed that his left femur was broken and he also had a fractured right arm. Doctors said the injuries had occurred on separate occasions and were up to a month old.
The boy had been living with his parents and three siblings before being admitted to hospital on the advice of a social worker.
It was the second time he had been taken to hospital with broken bones. The first time occurred when he was four months old and was in the care of relatives. In that case he had a broken arm and breaks to either side of his knees.
Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie said a story in yesterday's Herald about the toddler's injuries had generated a number of calls from the public, several of whom were offering to care for the boy once he was released from hospital.
Ms Goldie said police wanted to know about any incidents where there was ill treatment or cruelty to children. These would be fully investigated and where necessary those responsible would be charged without hesitation.
