One-year-old killed at Auckland address, nearby police officer tried in vain to revive child

Albert Vahaakolo on the Clover Park incident where a young child died a few days ago. Video / Dean Purcell

A nearby police officer desperately tried to revive a child in a South Auckland driveway but the 1-year-old tragically died at the scene.

Police launched a homicide probe after the infant died in the suburb of Clover Park on Saturday night.

Flat Bush Rd resident Albert Vahaakolo said he had seen police further up the road that night responding to a separate incident, before somebody called out to police for help.

An officer had only been roughly 50 metres or so away and was able to get to the house quickly.

The police officer started CPR in the driveway, hunched over in the driveway facing the house, he said.

Tragically, police say a child died at the scene.

Police had been carefully guarding the house since, Vahaakolo said.

Albert Vahaakolo has lived in his Flat Bush Rd home for more than 30 years. Photo / Dean Purcell

A policewoman knocked on his door the next morning, canvassing the area to find out more about what neighbours might have heard or seen.

"There's been a tragedy across the road," he said she told him.

"You are not only saddened, you are a bit shocked ... sometimes when something like that happens you want to try and go over and lend a bit of support - whatever support you can."

A child's bike could be seen resting against the Flat Bush Rd home. Photo / Dean Purcell

Another neighbour told the Herald she had visited the home to see how the family was going, only to be given the sad news that a young girl had died.

There have been no charges or arrests and police say the investigation is ongoing.

Detective Inspector Tofilau Fa'amanuia Va'aelua said a post-mortem had been carried out and a team of detectives were investigating this matter.