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Police - Source: ONE News
A 31-year-old man has appeared in court charged with assault after a fatal stabbing incident in the Bay of Plenty town of Kawerau last night.
Police say the ambulance service received a 111 call and police were then notified in relation to a serious assault at a residential address in Holyoake Crescent, Kawerau about 8pm.
Police arrived and found three adults and a nine-year-old child at the address.
One of the men, a 23-year-old, was deceased with fatal injuries to his neck, Detective Inspector Tim Anderson said.
Both the victim and the accused have name suppression. The accused is to due to re-appear in Whakatane District Court on January 16.
Police have launched a homicide investigation and say the occupants at the house and wider family members of the victim have been co-operative.
The property is under guard and a scene examination will take place with forensic scientists, Anderson said.
A forensic post-mortem will also take place.