A nine-year-old boy remains in hospital after he was hit in the head by a flying object during a brawl in a Western Australia town.

March 14, 2023

A boy has suffered serious head injuries after he was hit by a flying object during a riot in a Western Australia town.

Two teenagers are among those charged over the alcohol-fuelled incident which is understood to have involved about 100 people.

Police were called after the brawl involving a large group of people was reported in Carnarvon on Sunday about 1.30pm.

“During the incident, an object was thrown which struck a nine-year-old boy sitting in a car nearby,” a WA Police spokesman said.

The child suffered a serious head injury.

He was airlifted to Perth Children’s Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.

Police Minister Paul Papalia said it was “very disturbing” that a child was injured during the melee.

“What is very clear is that the driver of most of this violence, particularly in Carnarvon, is harmful use of alcohol,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“What needs to be considered … is ongoing restrictions on takeaway of some description. That will be part of the response.”

A 16-year-old boy has since been charged with taking part in a riot, endanger life, health or safety of a person, and assault occasioning bodily harm.

He is scheduled to appear in Karratha Children’s Court on April 14.

Another 16-year-old boy and two men, 21 and 24, were also charged with taking part in the riot and are due to appear separately in court in Carnarvon in coming weeks and months.

The incident comes less than a month after the WA government promised to expand the state’s banned drinkers register to Carnarvon amid ongoing antisocial behaviour and crime that has left residents calling for action.

The register has been trialled in the Pilbara, Kimberley and Goldfields regions with limited success.

It involves liquor retailers checking the register before any alcohol sale. It will be an offence to knowingly supply to banned individuals.