A man has been charged with torturing and murdering a five-year-old boy he knew in an Indigenous community in far north Queensland.
The child died from his injuries in Townsville Hospital on Monday after doctors had tried to save him for five days.
He had been airlifted there with life-threatening injuries after initially being taken to Yarrabah Hospital, near Cairns, on Friday.
Local detectives and officers from the Child Trauma Unit in Brisbane started probing how the boy was injured after being tipped about his transfer to Townsville.
Police have since arrested and charged a 22-year-old man, who knew the boy, with murder, grievous bodily harm and torture.
He's also been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed and assault occasioning bodily harm.
The man was remanded in custody and he's due to face Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
