South Australian Police have re-opened an investigation into the alleged assault of a four-year-old Aboriginal girl by a Big W employee last week, two days after concluding the matter on Monday.
Following an investigation into the incident, on Monday SA Police claimed the child was not assaulted, saying they reviewed relevant CCTV and found that information provided by the family was “inconsistent” with the footage.
However, the investigation has been reopened today after family members were granted access to the CCTV footage.
In a statement provided to ABC News by the family’s lawyer, George Newhouse, it is claimed that the police "tried to persuade" the family to "not lay charges before even taking a statement from the family or viewing the footage".
“The family are extremely distressed at the way they’ve been treated by South Australian Police,” said Mr Newhouse.
“To release a statement without the courtesy of speaking to the victims is despicable.
“The family contests the police version of events, and are considering their legal options.
"They are also calling for any witnesses to the event to come forward.”
Speaking to NITV News on Monday, the girl's Grandmother, Regina McKenzie, accused a BIG W staff member of racially profiling her granddaughter, as she stopped the girl and her father on the way out of the store.
“She pulled my granddaughter by the hoodie and hurt her neck with the father standing there,” said Ms McKenzie.
Mr Newhouse said they were “examining whether a private prosecution is possible if the police fail to take action”, and if his legal team can take action for the “harm to the child and her false imprisonment.”
