A young couple found viciously bashed in a west Auckland park on the weekend are in a critical but stable condition in hospital, police say.
A 19-year-old man, with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, was found in Starling Park, Ranui about 7am yesterday shortly before a 17-year-old woman with multiple facial injuries turned up at a nearby house seeking help.
They had left their homes in the suburb of Massey about 8pm on Saturday, police said.
The man was taken to Auckland Hospital and the young woman was taken to Middlemore Hospital.
The two victims had been moved out of intensive care but were being kept under close observation. Their condition was described as critical but stable.
Police said both victims had horrific injuries and it would be several days before investigators from Waitakere CIB were able to determine the full circumstances of the incident.
Police were appealing for anyone who saw the young couple in or near the vicinity of Starling Park between 8pm Saturday and 7am yesterday to contact them.
