Police are investigating three recent incidents in the lower North Island where babies have suffered critical or severe injuries that are believed to be non-accidental. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
A former police detective and child advocate say it is difficult for police to progress investigations where children have been harmed if people do not speak up.
On Friday police called for information relating to a three-month-old baby from Masterton who is in a critical condition, from what they suspect were "non-accidental" injuries.
"From the inquiries to date, we believe that the injuries the baby suffered weren't an accident, but we are still at the early stages of the investigation," Detective Inspector Haley Ryan said.
"Someone knows what happened, and we're doing everything we can to get answers for a victim who has no way of speaking up for themselves."
Just weeks before police appealed for information relating to a three-month-old baby girl from the Hutt Valley who suffered multiple fractures to her body.
Meanwhile, in early July a homicide investigation was launched after a six-month-old baby who was found with critical injuries in Foxton died.
Child Matters chief executive Jane Searle said people needed to be encouraged to speak up about what they knew as children could not speak up for themselves.
"These are very complex cases and police teams work extremely hard in very difficult situations, and they're often quite emotionally charged inquiries," she said. "If those witnesses, whether they be family or other community members, aren't cooperative, it makes that police job extremely difficult."
She said it also needed to be understood that speaking up could often be difficult for people and take courage. But she said it was vital in order to get justice for the children who were harmed.
"Unless the adults involved or the adults who hold information actually cooperate and speak up, it becomes very difficult for these cases to progress."
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