A homicide investigation was launched after a 10-month-old baby tragically died after suffering violent, blunt force trauma.
Mustafa Ali arrived unconscious at Te Kuiti Hospital, south of Hamilton on the North Island, on Saturday afternoon but could not be revived.
Police say the 10-month-old boy died from injuries sustained during a violent attack and not an accident.
“Tragically, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said.
New Zealand police launched a murder investigation into the death of 10-month-old boy Mustafa Ali (pictured with his father) on Saturday.
Investigators have since searched the family home where Mustafa lived with his father, Mukzameel Ali, his mother and several family members.
While the family is co-operating with police, Inspector Pitkethley said their statements differed from what police believe happened to the boy.
“The boy’s mother and father are talking to (the police),” he explained.
“Personally, I have some concerns regarding the inconsistencies with the statement.”
He added that an autopsy will be conducted in the coming days, but initial results led police to not believe the boy’s injuries were accidental.
Inspector Pitkethley revealed police were preparing to conclude an investigation into non-accidental injuries Mustafa suffered in October.
“That investigation was due to be completed shortly, unfortunately before Mustafa’s death,” he said.
Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand’s Children’s Ministry, said it had been involved with the family before Mustafa’s death in conjunction with police investigations.
The toddler arrived at Te Kuiti Hospital (pictured) unconscious with “non-accidental” blunt force trauma and tragically could not be revived.
A neighbor of the family told the media that he heard a hysterical woman around 2 p.m. on Saturday.
He claims to have seen a car arrive at the house a few minutes later, pick up the screaming person and drive away.
“I guess that’s when they went to the hospital.”
Inspector Pitkethley said police were aware of the reports but were “unwilling to comment further”.
The sudden death has shocked the small community, particularly “those who lived near the scene.”
Family owner and friend of the local mosque, Moshif Hussain, remembered Mustafa as the “joy of the house.”
“The community is really distraught,” he told RNZ.
“Everyone likes to hug babies, so everyone had some kind of connection to the baby, so everyone is pretty sad and stressed… and worried about how it happened.”
Anyone who heard screaming or has information about the incident is asked to contact police.