A 2-year-old boy sustained critical head injuries after he was allegedly assaulted at his home in Hastings yesterday.
Police have charged a 17-year-old male with assaulting a child and he is due to appear in the Hastings District Court today.
The boy was taken to hospital by ambulance from the Columbus Cres property in Flaxmere with head injuries.
He remains in critical condition in the Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital intensive care unit, police said.
Police believe the boy's injuries were non-accidental.
Officers taped off the Flaxmere property after being called to the address about midday.
A security officer was at the house as a scene guard and a scene examination was expected to take place today.
The boy's name would not be released at this stage and police could not comment further as the case was before the courts, police said.
