A Queensland man has been charged with the murder of his three-month-old baby son, after the boy died in hospital this week.
The infant, from the Ipswich area west of Brisbane, died almost a week after being taken to hospital with “significant internal injuries”. The boy had been on life support.
Uneeb Ullah, 28, was arrested on Tuesday evening and charged with the boy’s murder, which is designated a domestic violence offence.
His matter was mentioned briefly in court on Wednesday but Ullah was not required to appear and did not enter a plea.
Police said detectives from the Child Protection Investigation Unit launched an investigation on 1 October after the boy was taken to Ipswich hospital with significant injuries, and that the nature of those injuries prompted hospital staff to report the matter to police.
He was later transferred to the Queensland children’s hospital.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, DI Michael Manago said the mother of the child was “extremely upset” and that both parents, who were born overseas, have limited support.
The boy was the couple’s only child.
“This is a terribly tragic event involving a very vulnerable young member of the community,” Det Insp. Manago said.
“The boy’s mother is extremely upset as you can imagine; this is a terribly tragic event.
“She is struggling, but we’re offering her all the support that we can through this very difficult time.”
Police said they had spoken to the couple several times since they opened the investigation. The investigation would include looking at the “nature and dynamics” of the boy’s parents’ relationship.
“It’s an incredibly confronting and difficult investigation,” Manago said.
“We were conducting our investigation throughout the last number of days and gathering evidence.
When Ullah’s case came before the court on Wednesday, police prosecutor Ben Messina asked it be stood down until later in the day.
“I received a phone call this morning … that potentially more material would be provided and asked [that] this matter be stood down to the end of the list,” Messina said of the “relatively vague request”.
The magistrate agreed to re-mention the case if other charges were laid.
Kirstyn Nicholson, a Legal Aid solicitor representing Ullah, did not apply for bail and sought an adjournment.
Ullah was remanded in custody until the matter returns to court on 26 October.
– with AAP
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