A 24-year-old man charged with murder and torture of 5-year-old in Yarrabah

A Far North community is grief-stricken after the death of a five-year-old boy. A man has been charged with murder and torture.

UPDATE: A REMOTE Far North town is grief-stricken after the death of a five-year-old boy. A man has been charged with murder and torture.

Former mayor of Yarrabah Percy Neal was horrified to hear of the alleged incident after the matter was kept “very quiet” as police were in the town investigating for four days before moving operations to Cairns.

“My heart goes out to the extended family,” he said.

“It affects everybody, that’s just the way it is.”

Mr Neal said the incident would distress the community, but he knew Yarrabah residents would find support and comfort in one another.

“It’s very, very sad,” he said.

EARLIER: QUEENSLAND Police have charged a man with murder and torture after the death of a five-year-old boy following an incident in a Far North community.

Initial findings showed that the five-year-old boy was taken to the Yarrabah Hospital with life-threatening injuries and was flown to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition at 12.30pm on Tuesday August 16.

The boy then passed away on Monday August 22.

A 24-year-old man, who was known to the boy, was arrested and charged with one count each of murder, grievous bodily harm and torture.

He has been remanded in custody to also face two counts each of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and assault occasioning bodily harm in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday, August 24.

Detectives from Cairns CPIU have established an Incident Centre in the Cairns Police Facility with assistance from Child Trauma Unit detectives from Brisbane after being alerted of the incident.

Queensland Police will be addressing the public soon.

Originally published as A 24-year-old man charged with murder and torture of 5-year-old in Yarrabah