Latest news with #Tiwi

ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Falling palm tree kills four-year-old girl in tragic 'freak event' at Darwin
A falling palm tree has struck and killed a four-year-old girl playing in a Darwin backyard, in what's been described as "a freak" accident. In a statement, NT Police said emergency services were called to the Tiwi yard about 1:55pm on Saturday afternoon. They tried to take the girl to a nearby hospital for treatment, but she could not be saved. "Police and St John Ambulance attended the scene, and the victim was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital; however, she was pronounced deceased prior to arrival," the statement said. The tree also struck an 11-year-old boy, but police said his injuries were "non-life-threatening". NT police on Saturday had said the girl who died was seven years old, but on Monday confirmed she was four years old. Police said its investigations were "ongoing", but they did not believe the incident to be suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner. A number of tree-related deaths have been recorded in the NT over time. Almost two years ago, a falling tree branch at Darwin's botanic gardens struck and killed a South African woman as she was walking with her partner. In 2013, a falling palm tree south of Darwin struck and killed a Coomalie Council worker at Batchelor. NT-born arborist Ben Kenyon said, although the exact circumstances that caused the tree to fall in this incident were unclear, it was a tragedy. "Quite often, it is a bit of a freak event. "[My] thoughts go out to the family for sure — it's tragic." Mr Kenyon, who runs an arboriculture business in Melbourne but frequently visits the NT, said it was important to monitor and maintain backyard trees, particularly in tropical areas such as the Top End. "A fungi getting into the trunk of a tree in the Top End can kill it within 3-12 months — a very similar fungi in a similar tree in the southern states may take 5-10 years," he said. "It's just far, far quicker with the growth rates that you have and the humidity and the style of tree that you have in the Top End."

News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Young girl struck and killed by falling palm tree in Tiwi, Darwin
A seven-year-old girl has died after being struck by a falling palm tree in Tiwi – in North Darwin – on Saturday afternoon. Emergency services were called to a property just before 2pm, where the child had been playing in the yard when the tree suddenly fell. Despite efforts by paramedics, she was pronounced dead before reaching Royal Darwin Hospital. An 11-year-old boy was also hit by the tree and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the incident is not being treated as suspicious. Investigations are ongoing, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Falling palm tree kills seven-year-old girl in Darwin suburb of Tiwi
A falling palm tree has struck and killed a seven-year-old girl playing in a backyard in the Darwin suburb of Tiwi. In a statement, NT Police said emergency services were called to the yard about 1:55pm on Saturday afternoon. They tried to take the girl to a nearby hospital for treatment, but she could not be saved. "Police and St John Ambulance attended the scene, and the victim was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital; however, she was pronounced deceased prior to arrival," the statement said. The tree also struck an 11-year-old boy, but police said his injuries were "non-life-threatening". NT Police said its investigations were "ongoing", but they did not believe the incident to be suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.


Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Young girl, 7, is struck and killed by falling palm tree while playing in her yard at Tiwi
A seven-year-old girl has died after a group of children were hit by a falling palm tree. The girl was playing in the yard of a property in Tiwi, north Darwin, when she was hit by the tree about 1.55pm on Saturday. She died in an ambulance while on the way to Royal Darwin Hospital. An 11-year-old boy was also injured by the fallen tree. He did not suffer life-threatening injuries. NT Police are investigating and believe the incident is not suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

ABC News
08-05-2025
- ABC News
Boy charged over series of indecent assaults on women at Nightcliff foreshore, hospital car park
Northern Territory police have charged a boy over six separate incidents of alleged indecent assaults on women in Darwin, including at a hospital car park and along a popular beach. The boy, who police say is under the age of 15, has been charged with multiple offences including indecent touching or act without consent and attempt sexual intercourse without consent. In a statement, the NT Police Force said officers had arrested the boy on April 30, initially for the alleged assault of two women at a hospital car park in the northern Darwin suburb of Tiwi. Police said the boy "indecently touched two women and was subsequently charged", and was placed on remand with a court date set for May 7. However, in the lead-up to his court appearance, police said officers had connected the boy to four other, separate assaults that all took place at a popular beachside walking spot in late April. They said the first report police had received, on April 17, was of a male who allegedly assaulted a woman as she was walking along the Nightcliff foreshore at around 6:30am. In their statement, police said the description of the alleged offender provided from this incident was "crucial" to officers being able to link him to the incident at the hospital car park, which occurred on the same day. Police allege that five days later, on April 22, the man indecently assaulted another woman who was running along the Nightcliff foreshore at about 11am. The next day, police received another report at 6pm that a man had allegedly "grappled" with a woman after "indecently assaulting" her along the foreshore. Police said the victim screamed for help, when a "passing vehicle noticed the struggle and immediately stopped to render assistance". "The alleged offender fled the scene before police arrived," the police statement said. The last alleged incident occurred six days later at 7:20pm, also at the foreshore, where police received reports that a male, who was naked, had attacked a woman from "behind" while she was walking along the foreshore. Police said DNA evidence gathered from the victims had "returned a positive DNA match to the already arrested youth". The boy is now remanded to appear in court on May 20. Detective Senior Sergeant Burns said police commended the victims for their bravery in assisting police, and encouraged anyone affected by similar incidents to report them.