5-month-old baby dead, charges laid as homicide investigation unfolds

A baby boy has died after an alleged assault in Northland last night.

Police were called to a house on Murdoch Crescent in Raumanga, Whangarei by ambulance staff at 8.30pm last night.

A 5-month-old boy had suffered severe injuries. He died at the scene.

Police arrested a 28-year-old man at the address and he has been charged with assault on a child.

"Our investigation remains ongoing and we cannot rule out the possibility of further charges being laid," said Detective Inspector Dene Begbie.

The man will appear in Whangarei District Court this morning.

The boy is the sixth person under 10 to be killed as a result of homicide this year alone.

His alleged killing follows the death of Malcolm Bell in Auckland in June.

The 16-month-old died in Starship Hospital six days after he was admitted with alleged non-accidental injuries.

A 51-year-old man has been charged with Malcolm's murder.