Teens charged with fracturing baby’s skull during Alice Springs break-in committed to Supreme Court
The Northern Territory’s top court will determine the fate of two teens who have been charged with a horrific crime that shocked a nation – and sent a baby interstate for treatment.
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A teenager accused of bashing a baby’s skull with a metal fridge pole during a home invasion in Alice Springs is heading to the Northern Territory’s highest court, where his co-accused will join him.
The two teenage boys were committed to the NT Supreme Court by Judge David Woodroffe on Thursday, a little over three months after they were first arrested in Larapinta last December.
The pair was arrested in connection to a horrific home invasion on Bokhara Street, during which eight-week-old baby Antonia Siguenza had her skull fractured.
Antonia’s mother Nicole was also injured during the home invasion, and was flown to Adelaide with her daughter to get treatment for her injuries.
The eldest boy, 17, is accused of injuring both the mother and her daughter, allegedly striking her with a metal fridge handle.
His co-accused, aged 16 at the time but now 17, was jointly charged with the assault during a committal in the Alice Springs Local Court on Thursday.
Prosecutor Dan Payne also revealed more details of the home invasion when he read the charges out to the court.
As well as the assault, both teenagers were also charged with stealing a nappy bag, Ms Siguenza’s wallet, house and vehicle keys, various knives, and a gold Citizen watch.
One of the boys appeared behind the dock in person, and kept his down while the charges were read out to him.
He was dressed in all black and had what appeared to be a cast on his right arm.
He occasionally glimpsed at his family who were in court to support him.
The other appeared via videolink from a Holtze correctional facility, and stared into the top right corner of the screen as his charges were read out.
Mitchell Donaldson, representing the teenager appearing via videolink, said his client did not propose to call or test any evidence on Thursday.
Sandy Leonard represented the teenager who appeared in person, and affirmed her client would stay mute when questioned by Judge David Woodroffe.
Neither defence lawyers contested the matters heading to the Supreme Court.
Both teens also have other criminal matters which are continuing to stay in the Local Court system, with the younger offender also having an alleged breach of bail matter set to return to the courts in May.
He is alleged to have breached his bail in a remote community earlier this year, when he was granted bail for a day to attend his grandfather’s funeral.
His bail was upheld in the Supreme Court by Justice Meredith Day Huntingford, with her decision defended by Chief Michael Grant.
The teen was sent to the community on an estimated $7k charter flight – which was billed to taxpayers – with no electronic monitoring.
At the younger teen’s bail hearing, the court heard how he’d previously committed violent assaults – one of which was against a 77-year-old man – when he’d previously breached his bail, which happened multiple times.
Justice Huntingford’s decision was made in line with the Bail Act, which under subsection 24 A requires factors such as cultural background and needs, trauma, and family circumstances to be taken into account when bail is granted.
Combined, both teens had been bailed a collective 35 times and had been charged about 300 times.
In the wake of the attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled the alleged assault a “horrific, unspeakable act” and said his thoughts were with the family.
Judge David Woodroffe scheduled the teenagers for a criminal call-over in the Alice Springs Supreme Court on May 21.
They will be excused from attending if legally represented.
Originally published as Teens charged with fracturing baby’s skull during Alice Springs break-in committed to Supreme Court
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