A 13-year-old boy has admitted to shaking a baby, leaving her with critical head injuries.
Police are investigating the incident which happened on Tuesday night at a house in Invercargill. They say the boy is a relative of the seven-month-old girl and he has admitted that he shook the crying baby.
The baby was flown to the Starship Hospital for children in Auckland on Wednesday afternoon where she underwent surgery for a brain bleed and remained in a critical condition on Thursday night.
Detective Sergeant Mark McCloy says doctors are pleased with the baby's progress and are hopeful that she will survive, but it is too early to know what the long-term prognosis is.
Mr McCloy says because of the boy's age, he will not face criminal charges if the baby lives.
"Because he is not 14 yet he won't be facing any chages on this particular matter but he will be subject for many years, I suspect, to programmes and supervision."
Mr McCloy says the boy is very remorseful and mortified by his actions. He is being held in a Child, Youth and Family secure facility.
