Boy who died after going missing from remote NT community was mauled by dogs

A young boy who died after going missing from a remote central Australian desert community was mauled during a “horrific” dog attack, police say.

The three-year-old’s family reported him missing on Friday evening after searching Hermannsburg, south-west of Alice Springs, for several hours.

Northern Territory police joined the search late on New Year’s Eve and an officer found the injured preschooler about 9am on Saturday. He was taken to the local health clinic but died before he could be treated.

The acting assistant commissioner Sachin Sharma said the child’s wounds were “consistent with an animal attack”.

“Our investigation determined the involvement of an animal attack,” he told reporters on Monday.

Two dogs were being held awaiting forensic examination, Sharma said. The animals were pet dogs often called “camp dogs” and their owner was cooperating with investigators.

Sharma said the community and first responders were suffering significant grief and counsellors had been sent to help them.

“It’s that sense of loss. It’s horrible, it’s horrific,” he said. “We are now preparing a report for the coroner and the cause of death for this little child will be determined by the coroner’s office.”

Sharma said while there was no suggestion of foul play, investigations were ongoing.

Hermannsburg, also known as Ntaria, is an Aboriginal community about 125km south-west of Alice Springs, in the traditional lands of the Western Arrarnta people.