Maungatapu toddler dies in Starship Hospital

A police officer standing guard near the entrance to a taped off unit at a Maungatapu apartment block. Photo/Sandra Conchie

Photo / Sandra Conchie 290319sc01bop.JPG

By Sandra Conchie

A 17-month-old child critically injured in Tauranga earlier this week died at Starship Hospital on Friday.

Officers were called to a Maungatapu property on Wednesday at 4.30pm after reports a child had been injured.

The child was admitted to Tauranga Hospital then transferred to Starship Hospital in a critical condition.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the 17-month old toddler had died in Starship Hospital.

Police were continuing to investigate the cause of the child's injuries and the circumstances leading up to the incident, the spokeswoman said.

When the Bay of Plenty Times revisited the property, a police officer was standing guard near the entrance to a unit cordoned off with police tape.

Neighbouring tenants of the other units told the Bay of Plenty Times police had told them not to talk to the media.

A neighbour, who has lived near the property in question for 30 years, said he and his wife had been visited by police twice since Wednesday.