A 12-year-old boy is in hospital in a critical but stable condition after what police have described as a "serious custody incident" outside a Darwin shopping centre.
NT Police said officers were called to Hibiscus Shopping Town in Leanyer at 4pm yesterday after receiving a report of a boy causing a "disturbance".
They said the boy ran from officers when they approached before he "appeared to have… a medical episode" and fell to the ground.
A police spokeperson said the boy was given first aid by officers until St John Ambulance paramedics arrived and transported him to Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).
This morning, a NT Health Department spokeswoman said the boy was still in RDH in a critical but stable condition.
Police said the incident was being internally investigated as a serious custody incident "to ensure all actions by police were appropriate".
Several sources have told the ABC that the incident may be linked to volatile substance use.
The health department is yet to respond to questions on the issue.
The office of Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, who is also the health minister, did not confirm if the incident was linked to volatile substance use.
