A young child was allegedly kept locked in a cage at an industrial workplace in the Northern Territory.
Territory Families and NT WorkSafe confirmed an investigation has been launched following reports a child was being held in a makeshift cage at a workplace on Stuart Highway.
The child is understood to be between two and three years old and was allegedly placed in a “secure enclosure”.
Police attended the industrial site, which cannot be named for legal reasons, on May 14 after receiving reports about the child’s well-being.
A child, believed to be between two and three years old, has allegedly been locked in a cage at an industrial workplace in the Northern Territory (file image)
Witnesses described the custom-made enclosure as a “cage,” New Testament News reported.
A Territory Families spokeswoman said the agency was aware of the matter and is investigating.
“The safety of children is our top priority and we take any allegation of child harm seriously,” he said.
Under mandatory reporting rules in the Northern Territory, a person must report concerns if they believe “a child is being, or has been, harmed or abused”.
“This includes the police, who can report suspected harm to our department,” the spokeswoman said.
“We work with children, families, communities, police and relevant agencies to assess and respond to any reports of suspected harm to children.”
Police also raised a safety concern with NT WorkSafe on May 16, two days after the alleged incident.
