A man has been charged with allegedly assaulting a woman and her child, aged under two, with a blunt weapon, breaking the mother’s hand and causing the child’s head to swell, NT Police said.

The incident bears some similarity to a December 2024 Alice Springs home invasion in which a nine-week-old baby suffered serious head injuries, amid an escalation in crime in the town’s suburbs that prompted Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Police Commissioner Michael Murphy to travel to Alice Springs.

In regards to the case on Saturday, police director of communications Mark Wilton said police received a report of a disturbance at about 6.15pm, with the woman and her child allegedly having been assaulted by the 36-year-old man earlier that day.

“The offender, who is known to the victim, allegedly assaulted her with a blunt weapon while she was holding the child,” Mr Wilton said.

“The victim’s hand was broken and the child suffered swelling to the head as a result of the incident.”

Police did not give the child’s actual age, they just referred to is as being under two.

Mr Wilton said the alleged offender left the scene and went to a neighbouring residence, where he caused the disturbance that was reported to police.

“Police attended and arrested the 36-year-old male. The victim and the child were conveyed to hospital for treatment, with the victim requiring surgery on her hand,” Mr Wilton said.

Police said the man was charged with unlawfully causing serious harm and aggravated assault and was due to appear in the Alice Springs Local Court on Tuesday.

On Sunday, a man confronted a home invader armed with a machete at a house in Saltwell Street, Larapinta, and suffered a cut to his hand during an altercation.

Police said two alleged co-offenders hiding behind the fence line threw rocks at the victim as they attempted to help the machete-wielding offender escape.

In the 2024 attack, a woman and her four children were home when two teenagers broke in. One of the teenagers, who was armed with a metal fridge handle, attacked the woman and struck her nine-week-old baby, who she was holding.

The child suffered a series of seizures, as well as bruising and bleeding to her brain.

After the attack, Ms Finocchiaro held urgent briefings with police and community leaders before calling for federal action, including 100 per cent income management for parents of youth offenders, changes to Centrelink payment days and an audit of federally funded programs.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to family or domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline 131 114.