Tennant Creek NT toddler allegedly assaulted

Authorities were repeatedly asked to look into the wellbeing of a Northern Territory toddler who was allegedly raped last week, family and friends have claimed.

The two-year-old girl from Tennant Creek was flown to the Alice Springs Hospital on Friday before being rushed to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide because of the severity of her injuries.

A 24-year-old man has since been arrested and charged with sexual assault and was denied bail when he appeared in court on Monday.

The two-year-old girl from Tennant Creek was flown to the Alice Springs Hospital (pictured) on Friday

A man who said he has been ‘like a dad’ to the young girl told The Australian child protection services and police were alerted to the toddler’s well-being by multiple people close to her.

He said the two-year-old’s alleged assault was indicative of the issues plaguing Tennant Creek.

‘It’s a forgotten town running rampant with violence,’ the relative said.

‘Someone has got to be held accountable for this little girl. How many [child protection] notifications do you have to put in before Territory Families does something?’

The two-year-old girl (stock) was later transported to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide because of the severity of her injuries

Area locals said the girl lives in ‘The Bronx’ of Tennant Creek and said both of her parents are alcoholics and had run-ins with the law.

CEO of Manungurra Aboriginal Corporation Graeme Smith told the publication he and his wife lived near the family and often heard the girl’s parents argue over her.

‘Sometimes we would ring the cops but other times we would just say, “What’s the point?’ This kid should not have been allowed to get to this stage”,’ he said.

Police said there were no other suspects in relation to the girl’s alleged sexual assault.

Police said there were no other suspects in relation to the girl’s alleged sexual assault (pictured is the Tennant Creek police station)