The father of a newborn baby, who was rushed to hospital with a serious head injury following a horrific home invasion in Alice Springs, has spoken out for the first time.
The two-month-old baby was being held by his mother when two youths allegedly broke into his house on Bokhara Street in Larapinta at 2.30pm on Wednesday.
One of the teens allegedly threatened the mother of four with a gun before hitting her, injuring both the woman and her baby.
Police allege the other teen allegedly stole the woman’s keys and wallet while assaulting her before the two fled in a vehicle.
The mother and child were rushed to Alice Springs Hospital before the baby was flown to Adelaide for treatment for a skull fracture.
Both teenagers were arrested two hours later and are expected to appear at Alice Springs Local Court later today.
The girl’s father told NT News his daughter was “stable at the moment”.
He said he was “overwhelmed and stunned” by the support from the local community and thanked police for their quick response.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro (pictured) has come under fire from an angry local after an alleged home invasion in Alice Springs left a newborn seriously injured.
An alleged break-in occurred at the home of a mother of four in Larapinta (pictured, police at the scene) which left a two-month-old girl with a fractured skull.
Meanwhile, an angry local took aim at Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro after the alleged home invasion, as she prepared to address the media.
Mrs. Finocchiaro, was confronted outside Alice Springs police station by anti-crime campaigner Darren Clarke, who demanded her resignation.
“Lia Finocchiaro has moved her press conference indoors because she doesn’t want to face the people of Alice Springs who are waiting for her,” Mr Clarke shouted.
“You promised to keep this community safe, it was your first order of business, you have done nothing and now you will not confront the people here.”
Finocchiaro won the NT election in August this year on the back of a campaign that promised to get tough on rising youth crime at the top end.
Detective Regional Crime Superintendent Paul Lawson described the alleged assault as a “shocking incident” in a video released by NT Police on Wednesday night.
“I would like to thank the first responders, mainly Alice Springs Police, their assistance to this incident was excellent and they took the offenders very quickly off the streets, keeping the community safe from further harm from these two,” said.
‘Our thoughts are with the victims of this incident, their families. I can’t even think about what they’re going through.
“I’m surprised the community is in shock, the first responders are in shock, this has to stop.”