The home where the 10-month-old baby boy lived. Photo: RNZ/Natalie Akoorie
Warning: this story contains distressing details that some might find upsetting.
A father who was home alone with his 10-month-old son before the child was rushed to hospital with fatal "non-accidental" injuries denies any wrongdoing but says he's worried he will be arrested.
Mustafa Maheir Mukzameel Ali was taken to Te Kūiti Hospital on Saturday afternoon, but was unable to be revived. Police have launched a homicide investigation and allege the baby's injuries were "non-accidental" and the result of "violent, blunt-force trauma".
On Monday, Mustafa's father, Mukzameel Ali, 22, told Stuff he was the only person at home prior to his son being rushed to hospital. He vehemently denied any involvement in his only child's death.
"I didn't do anything wrong, because I was trying to save my son. He was my son, I loved him so much. I was trying my best."
He outlined the sequence of events that led up to Mustafa's death, saying after returning from Fiji recently he noticed the baby was "a little bit sick", and appeared to be dizzy.
Ali said he and his wife took him to hospital for a check-up and were told Mustafa was "okay". They were given an antibiotic prescription.
On Saturday Ali's wife went to a birthday party, leaving the father and his sleeping son at home alone. Ali said he gave Mustafa a bottle of milk when he woke, but he didn't drink much and kept closing his eyes.
He said the child also refused to eat much breakfast.
"Then after that, I gave him the bottle of milk that was left over to finish up and he was sitting down in the ballpit. I put him down there and he was watching TV, but he was still looking dizzy and sad."
Ali said he then went to the laundry, cleaned up the house, and ate breakfast before washing the dishes.
"I came (in) and he (Mustafa) was almost like sleepy. He was sitting down but his head was going down so I made him another bottle of milk and tried to feed him.
"Maybe he drank almost half a bottle and then he vomited all of it out suddenly."
Ali said he then took the baby's clothes off as they were covered in vomit.
"He was not good. His eyes became very big and he was like choking up or something. He wouldn't breathe and I got shocked, and I got nervous, I was scared.
"I don't know what to do because I was alone, home by myself and that's my first time having an encounter that … nothing came up in my mind, my mind was all empty. "
A homicide investigation is under way. Photo: Stuff / Waikato Times / DJ Mills
"Then after that, I gave him the bottle of milk that was left over to finish up and he was sitting down in the ballpit. I put him down there and he was watching TV, but he was still looking dizzy and sad."
Ali said he then went to the laundry, cleaned up the house, and ate breakfast before washing the dishes.
"I came (in) and he (Mustafa) was almost like sleepy. He was sitting down but his head was going down so I made him another bottle of milk and tried to feed him.
"Maybe he drank almost half a bottle and then he vomited all of it out suddenly."
Ali said he then started "tapping" on his son's back, and his bum but said he was only tapping a "little" to wake him up.
"To get any reaction from him - like if he's really doing that or just joking," he said.
"I tried to give him CPR… still didn't respond and I just lifted him up and ran straight to the hospital. And lucky that's when my wife arrived, so I gave Mustafa to her. I told her 'he choked, something's blocking, he cannot breathe, let's just hurry up and take him to the hospital'."
Ali said doctors attempted CPR but couldn't save his son.
Asked if the toddler had previously suffered any serious injuries, Ali said he had once, when the pair fell down the stairs together after he tripped. The then 3-month-old, suffered fractures to his collarbone and ribs as well as bleeding on the head and neck.
After the incident Oranga Tamariki became involved and Mustafa was put into his grandparents' care for about three months. He returned to his parents in February, Ali said.
Now Ali is worried police may charge him over his son's death.
"Maybe because I am the only one who was there at the moment and I am maybe the one who caused him like to suffer all that. Maybe because I did it in the wrong way," he said.
"I don't feel good. I feel scared because nothing came up in my mind."
He said he felt lost, "really sad" and "upset".
"To anyone who has small babies around the town everywhere just please take care of them very nicely. They're just like angels."
In response to questions from Stuff, Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive service delivery Rachel Leota said the agency was notified of the boy's death on Sunday.
"We are assisting police in trying to understand the circumstances that led to this.
"However, because this is a police-led investigation we are unable to comment further at this time."
While the investigation is in its early stages, Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said police had spoken to the baby's family - including his parents - since his death.
"They are working with us as we establish what occurred in this young child's life and how he came to be so badly injured."
Over the coming days, police will conduct a scene examination of a Te Kūiti address, which has been under police guard since Saturday afternoon.
Te Kūiti locals can also expect to see police in the town making inquires.
"The death of any child is a shock to the community, and we know many in Te Kūiti will be affected by this.
"The public can help by talking with us; we need to hear from anyone who has information that could help the investigation."
- This story was first published on Stuff