Boy crushed by automatic gate discharged from hospital

Detective Gareth Brown at the entrance to the Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa, where the 7-year-old boy was crushed by a gate. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A seven-year-old boy crushed by an automatic gate at the Auckland Botanic Gardens six days ago has been discharged from hospital.

The boy suffered serious injuries when the electric gate at the exit to the gardens in Manurewa closed, trapping him between a rock wall and the heavy gate.

It look bystanders five minutes to free the boy who was rushed to Middlemore Hospital's Kidz First unit.

Kidz First spokesperson Lauren Young confirmed the young boy had been discharged from hospital.

The boy had been in the hospital's intensive care unit.

"He was stable yesterday and he has now been discharged," Lauren Young said.

"Little kids can recovery very quickly and he is now at home with his family."

The gate that crushed the boy is a large metal, automatic gate that opens to allow cars out of the gardens when they trigger the sensor.

Detective Gareth Brown said the boy had been playing on the gate when a car has come up and hit the sensor and the gate has opened.

"Unfortunately, the boy has been crushed,'' Brown said.

A man who helped free the young boy was left traumitised by the incident.

Sean Meads, 20, said eight members of the public tried desperately to pull the gate back but it took about five minutes before they could free him.

"When we got him out he fell ...."

The boy was not conscious and had a large injury to his head.

Police said that Worksafe were investigating the incident.​