The four-year-old boy found severely beaten at a Hastings property in January has been discharged from hospital.
He was found on January 29 in a Ramsey Crescent, Flaxmere house, and Detective Inspector Mike Foster said at the time the child sustained some of the most severe injuries he'd seen in his 30-year career. The boy was later taken to Auckland's Starship Hospital in a serious condition.
"He's received extensive injuries across the whole of his body," he said at the time.
"He has a severe brain injury, part of his brain is dead... so he's going to be severely brain damaged for the rest of his life."
Foster confirmed the boy's hospital discharge to 1 News on Tuesday, and also said it's likely he'll never have the mental capacity above his current age because of the injuries he sustained.
The child has been doing "remarkably well" in an Auckland rehabilitation centre for a couple of months and he is currently living with his grandmother.
An investigation into the attack has "gone well" but is still ongoing. This is despite some family members not approaching police with information. No charges have been laid yet.
Foster added they're waiting on medical reports to be peer-reviewed, which will help lay any necessary charges.
Oranga Tamariki confirmed in February it had previously worked with the family and the situation involved "challenging circumstances". It also said the case was "deeply disturbing".
