In court yesterday afternoon, Judge Bridget Mackintosh granted the youth bail despite police opposition to an application lodged by lawyer Cliff Church, standing in for Russell Fairbrother QC.
With family members looking on from the public gallery, the youth was remanded without plea to appear again on November 3, and granted interim name suppression.
Police were not releasing any further details, and the name of the child is unable to be published.
The examination of the property was understood to have been completed late yesterday.
Chief executive of Flaxmere's U-Turn Trust, Ana Apatu, said the incident was likely an unfortunate symptom of the burden of stress.
"It's sad that families are placed under such horrendous stress that it can be taken out on a child."
She said Hastings councillor of the Flaxmere ward, Henare O'Keefe, had been advising people to "go home and be good mothers and fathers above everything else".
"It's no excuse, children are the most important treasures we have," Ms Apatu said.
"There are so many good families out there and we need to learn to reach out before stresses become too much."
She said there were a number of great support networks and it was a matter of ensuring people know where to go to get help.
"Education is the best form of prevention, it's about caring for one another," Ms Apatu said.
