NT Police are investigating the circumstances that led to a 12-year-old boy being hospitalised Monday afternoon, after he allegedly caused a disturbance at a northern suburbs shopping centre and was injured, which police are treating as a serious custody incident.

Police said in a statement that they were called to Hibiscus Shoppingtown about the youth causing a disturbance around 4pm.

A security guard at the shopping centre identified the youth who was still at the scene to police upon their arrival.

“As police have approached the youth, he began to flee when he fell to the ground following what appeared to have been a medical episode,” police media said in the statement.

“Police administered first aid until St John Ambulance arrived and transported the youth to the hospital.

“The incident is being treated as a serious custody incident and the Crime Division are investigating.”

On Tuesday morning, police said the boy was expected to make a full recovery, but did not say what the “medical episode” might have been.

“I would like to commend the actions of St John Ambulance and Casuarina general duties who attended and provided initial first aid,” said Detective Superintendent Mark Malogorski.

“The incident was reported to police as a disturbance involving solely the youth, no weapons were reported.

“The matter is being investigated as a serious custody incident to ensure all actions by police were appropriate.”