18 Sep 2015

Invercargill schoolboy in critical condition

8:15 pm on 18 September 2015

A 10-year-old boy is in a critical condition in Dunedin Hospital after an incident at an Invercargill School this morning.

Sacred Heart School, Invercargill.

Sacred Heart School, Invercargill. Photo: Steve Allan

Police and emergency services were called to Sacred Heart School shortly after 8:30am to find the boy with serious injuries.

Police said they were currently working with the school, the Education Ministry and other emergency services to find out what exactly happened. They said the incident was tragic.

Victim Support had been called in to the school.

A hospital spokesperson said the boy was initially admited to Southland Hospital however was relocated around 12pm to Dunedin Hospital for more specialist care.

The Education Ministry said children, parents and staff were clearly very upset and said it has two traumatic incident staff at the school to provide support.

Board of Trustees chair Paul Brooks said the school of about 140 pupils remained open today and will open again on Monday.

In a letter given to students to take home, the school called the incident an accident.