An Upper Hutt couple have been charged with child neglect
after a 3-year-old girl was hospitalised with a leg so badly
broken that doctors considered having it amputated.
The toddler was admitted to Wairarapa Hospital with the
horror leg injury on November 25 last year before being
transferred to Lower Hutt Hospital for emergency surgery.
Both tibia and fibula bones in her left leg were badly broken
and she was suffering from an open infected wound.
Operations saved her leg and she was eventually discharged
into the care of another family member around two months
later.
Now, the child's 24-year-old mother and her 22-year-old
partner have been charged with neglect of a child.
They were granted interim name suppression at a court
hearing.
Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Holden, officer in charge of
the district child protection team, said they are due back in
Lower Hutt District Court on the April 16.
"This police case is before the courts and so full details
are not able to be disclosed," he said.
John Langley, Child, Youth and Family central regional
director, said they were notified of the child's injuries
by
police.
"We investigated immediately and established there were
concerns about the care of this child. She is recovering
in
the care of wider family.".
