Oranga Tamariki is assisting police with a homicide investigation into the “violent” and “non-accidental” death of a baby boy in Te Kūiti.
The 10-month-old boy was brought unconscious to Te Kūiti Hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Police said initial examinations showed he had suffered “violent, blunt-force trauma”.
In a statement today, Oranga Tamariki said it was notified of the death of the boy on Sunday.
Oranga Tamariki DCE service delivery Rachel Leota told 1News the organisation is “assisting police in trying to understand the circumstances that led to this”.
“However, because this is a police-led investigation we are unable to comment further at this time,” she said.
Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said police believe the injuries were “not accidental”.
“The full extent of his injuries will be determined by a post-mortem, but the result will not be known for some time,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Officers have been speaking to the baby’s parents and other family members.
“They are working with us as we establish what occurred in this young child’s life and how he came to be so badly injured.”