A five-year-old boy is on life support after allegedly being beaten with a piece of wood at a home in Cabramatta in south-west Sydney on Friday night.
The 31-year-old mother of the boy and her 20-year-old boyfriend were arrested at the home and have since been charged with domestic violence offences.
Emergency services were called to the home about 9:50pm on Friday after reports of an assault.
The child was treated at the scene by paramedics and was taken to the Children's Hospital at Westmead where he remains in a critical condition.
The woman has been charged with not providing for the child, causing danger of serious injury.
The man has been charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police allege that the child had been assaulted with a wooden stick.
At the man's bail hearing on Saturday afternoon, the court heard he had been smacking the boy for "discipline" which ended in the boy suffering a brain injury.
Paediatric Neurosurgeon at Westmead Hospital Adam Fowler said it was the "worst case of suspected child beating" he had ever seen in his career.
"One that made me physically sob whilst examining," he said.
Local resident Marcelo Guerrero said the incident was "terrible" and police surrounded the house on Friday night.
"It looked like maybe a bust — you had the PolAir around on top, there was a lot happening ...we saw a lot of commotion."
Another local resident, Kosen Kim, said she saw the boy only a few days ago.
"I'm very sad ... I want him to be ok," she said.
"For me, I have kids too...I don't want him to pass [away]."
The man fronted Paramatta Bail Court on Saturday afternoon and made an application for bail which was denied.
He is due to face Liverpool Court on September 1.
The mother did not appear or apply for bail and it was formally refused.
She will appear before Liverpool Court on September 9.
