A four-year-old boy was left with a fractured skull and part of his ear hanging off after he was battered with a brick on wasteland near his home.

Charlie Davis was found on wasteland near his home in Danes Drive, Hessle, near Hull, East Yorkshire, on Thursday.

 

He is at Hull Royal Infirmary where he has had surgery to repair his ear. A scan showed his brain was not injured.

 

A Humberside Police spokeswoman said: "This little boy has suffered a nasty attack and has some horrible injuries."

 

She said officers were following a number of lines of inquiry.

 

"There has been information suggesting possible suspects and these form one of the lines of inquiry being pursued," she added.

 

The incident is thought to have happened just before midday on Thursday after Charlie went to play with a friend.

 

The attack took place about 200 metres from his home on a strip of wasteland next to Station Road close to the Hull-Hessle railway line.

 

He was found by a couple walking in the area.

 

The police spokeswoman said: "It is currently unclear how the child got to the area. He may have gone of his own accord, he might have been chased there or he may have been taken by someone against his will."

 

She said officers had been unable to get an account from the child as he was still in hospital and a specially trained officer would be required to take his statement.

 

Statements had been taken from his parents and other witnesses.

 

"We do understand that the victim was struck with a brick which has resulted in his injuries," the spokeswoman said.

 

"But, clearly, until police can get an account from the four-year-old victim it is not possible to confirm any more details of the incident."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/5288580.stm

Police to quiz brick attack boy

 

Police are to question a four-year-old boy who has left hospital two days after suffering a fractured skull when he was battered with a brick.

An 11-year-old boy arrested on Saturday on suspicion of assaulting Charlie Davis near his home in Hessle, East Yorkshire, has been released on bail.

 

Charlie, who had surgery on a damaged ear, was released from Hull Royal Infirmary on Saturday evening.

 

Police said the boy was now recovering at home with his parents.

 

Until now he has not been well enough to tell police how the attack came about.

 

A Humberside Police spokeswoman said: "Today, officers will be speaking to him and taking a full statement from him regarding the incident and the full circumstances surrounding it."

 

'Open mind'

 

She said there was no evidence yet to back up reports that he had been dragged 200 yards by his attacker and then tied to a tree.

 

"It is currently unclear how the child got to the area," she said.

 

"He may have gone of his own accord, he might have been chased there or he may have been taken by someone against his will.

 

"At this stage police do not know what happened and are keeping an open mind."

 

The youngster was assaulted on a strip of land between the Hull-to-Hessle railway line and Station Road, Hessle, 200 metres from his home in Danes Road.

 

The incident happened shortly before midday on Thursday after Charlie had gone out to play with a friend.

 

Police described the attack as "particularly nasty" and said the victim had suffered "horrible injuries".

 

He suffered a slight fracture to the base of his skull, and underwent reconstructive surgery on his ear to repair cartilage damage.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/5290010.stm

That's one criticism I have of the police, they don't have any discretion when it comes to taking statements.

Police described the attack as "particularly nasty" and said the victim had suffered "horrible injuries".

They've already taken statements from his PARENTS? Give me a break.

They've already taken statements from his PARENTS? Give me a break.

 

well they'd need to, to build up a picture of what happened. they need to know what time the parent slet the kid out to play. what he was told he could do. hopefully, at 4 years old, who was in charge of him whilst he was playing. what time they last saw him etc. etc.

 

if they want to work out exactly what happened they need statement sform anyone with anything even vaguely resembling information to the timelines

The point I'm making is that the family must not be put under pressure from the police so quickly after a crime. Let the dust settle, give it a couple of weeks and then take a statement from those close to the victim.

 

The police will achieve a much more productive statement and the family will remember a lot more, and give a much clearer picture.

 

I've got first hand experience of seeing what happens to victims who have been subject to 5-6 hours of police statements non-stop only HOURS after the crime.

yup, and the point I'm making is that to catch the criminal they need as much info as possible in the first 24 hours. they won't have subject them to a long session, but found out as much as they could in a short period. in my experience, the longer you leave it before making a statement the more likely you are to forget important details.