The troubled outback town of Alice Springs has once again been thrust into the national spotlight after a horrific attack on a newborn baby girl during a home invasion.
Police allege that two boys, aged 16 and 17, broke into a house on Bokhara Street in Larapinta at 2.30pm on Wednesday, demanding cash.
The pair allegedly stole a mother-of-four’s wallet and keys before tying them over her head with a metal freezer handle.
The impact fractured the baby’s skull and caused a brain hemorrhage. She was airlifted to Adelaide Hospital and is now in a stable condition, along with her mother.
It can now be revealed that the two teenagers who were arrested just 90 minutes after the sickening alleged attack have been released on bail, despite having a combined 300 criminal charges against them and NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy admitting that the two “are well known to us.” .
The Australian reported that the 16-year-old had previously been charged with 274 offenses and had been released on bail 25 times, while the 17-year-old had accumulated 19 offenses and been released on bail 10 times.
Extra Darwin police officers arrived in the crime-plagued city on Thursday to step up 24/7 patrols in the wake of the latest shocking incident.
But fed up locals have flooded social media demanding more be done to lock up repeat offenders and stop the revolving door of violence in Alice Springs.
A two-month-old baby suffered a fractured skull in a horrific alleged home invasion in an Alice Springs suburb on Wednesday. The police appear on the scene.
‘Why are extreme incidents always needed for a major response? They know the problems and they repeat themselves over and over again,” the community organization Action for Alice 2020 wrote on Facebook.
‘Why haven’t the suburbs been more present before this?’ It’s been going on for weeks.
The post was inundated with comments from angry locals who fear the cycle of violence is doomed to continue without tougher sanctions.
“Absolutely useless without severe and significant sanctions… and we all know that’s not going to happen,” one wrote.
Another wrote: ‘Without harsher consequences, nothing will change. Children under 14 are still released and if you knock down a police officer you get a month suspended sentence… As long as that doesn’t change, good luck.
A third wrote: ‘It’s time to bring in the army/AFP as a ‘peacekeeping’ force. The NT Police clearly do not have enough resources to provide a deterrent factor!’
The baby’s father is a government employee who was at work at the time of the alleged assault.
While he praised police for their quick response to the alleged incident, he has no faith in Premier Anthony Albanese to solve the violent crime crisis in Alice Springs.
“It wouldn’t be the same if this was happening to him,” he told The Australian.
‘What are you saying that won’t fall on deaf ears?’
“It’s disturbing, it’s irritating, it’s terrifying, it really is.”
The father also gave an update on his daughter, whose stable condition “fluctuates” due to a “significant skull fracture and a small hemorrhage on the brain.”
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Police Commissioner Murphy also received criticism from the community after traveling to Alice Springs on Thursday and announcing there would be an increased police presence in the wake of the incident.
The incident prompted a visit by NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro to Alice Springs on Thursday, which did not go down well with many locals.
The baby’s father doesn’t have much faith in Premier Anthony Albanese (pictured) finding solutions to tackle the crime epidemic in Alice Springs.
Ms Finocchiaro received a hostile reception from crime fighter Darren Clark, who ambushed the Prime Minister at the airport.
‘Where have you been?’ Mr. Clark interrupted repeatedly.
‘You told us you were going to protect this city!
‘You told us you were going to protect this city. Our women are afraid, the place is terrified, nothing is done.
‘Why did it take you so long Lia? Because?
‘Absolute shame, you promised us, you promised this community.
“It’s time to step up or get out.”
He also called on Ms Finocchiaro in a follow-up video to “resign now”.
Mr Clark released NT Police Commissioner Murphy.
‘Don’t say you have more police because you don’t, Murphy!’ shout.
You don’t have police and you know it!
Commissioner Murphy later said there had been an “escalation” in crime in Alice Springs since December 3.
Police Commissioner Murphy (pictured) said there had been an “escalation” in crime in suburban Alice Springs since December 3.
“There have been a number of serious crimes in Alice Springs, ranging from kidnappings, sexual assaults and home burglaries and home invasions with motor vehicle theft,” he said.
But he was confident NT Police could provide protection in Alice Springs without having to call in reinforcements from South Australian Police, ADF or AFP.
Chief Minister Finocchiaro said: “We need to ensure that if we have a request to the federal government, it will fulfill it for the people on the ground.”
“People have the right to be safe in their homes, the community deserves to be safe.”
Prime Minister Albanese has called for the perpetrators of the alleged assault on the mother and baby to face “the full force of the law”.
“This is a horrible, unspeakable act and my thoughts are with the boy and his family at this time,” Albanese said.
“This is unacceptable and the full force of the law should be brought down on these perpetrators.”
Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price described reports of violence in the Alice Springs community as “absolutely disgusting”.
Terrified local residents have expressed their anger and frustration that violence in Alice Springs will continue to increase without tougher penalties for offenders (Alice Springs pictured)
“As a resident of Alice Springs, I know the fear people have of just being in their own home,” Ms Price said.
‘When people have reason to fear violent attacks within their homes, things go terribly wrong.
“The federal government cannot shirk its responsibility for the disastrous situation we are witnessing.”
The two teenagers, ages 16 and 17, charged with the alleged assault appeared in court Thursday.
Both teenagers were out on bail for violent offences.
Both teens will remain in custody until their next court appearance on February 13.