Three people plead not guilty after 4-year-old severely injured in Christchurch

Three people charged with assaulting or neglecting to get medical treatment for a 4-year-old boy have pleaded not guilty to all charges at the Christchurch District Court. Photo / George Heard

Three people charged with assaulting or neglecting to get medical treatment for a 4-year-old boy who had broken bones have pleaded not guilty to all charges at the Christchurch District Court.

The three people were all remanded by Judge Gerard Lynch on bail for a case review hearing on March 7 ahead of a judge-alone trial. All have interim name suppression.

A woman aged 38, from the Christchurch suburb of Mairehau, denies charges of wounding the boy, wounding with intent to injure, and intentionally causing him grievous bodily harm.

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She is also charged that after her conduct causing wounding and severe malnourishment to the child, she failed to get him medical care.

A 22-year-old Wainoni woman denies one charge of omitting to perform her legal duty to provide care, medical attention and to prevent injuries to the child, which were likely to cause suffering severe malnourishment, psychological trauma and physical injuries.

The boy's injuries are listed on the court documents as "physical injuries throughout the entire body, including fractures to the hips, ribs, sternum, sternal and spine".

The charge describes failing to get medical treatment as "a major departure from the standard of care to be expected of a reasonable person".

A 41-year-old Wainoni man is charged with two assaults on the boy. He has also elected a judge-alone trial and been remanded on bail to the same case review.