A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has been charged over an incident where a baby was allegedly struck on the head by a missile thrown from a high building in Burnie nine days ago.

The baby, four-month-old Elizabeth Dickey, was struck to the forehead and fragments of one of the missiles were embedded in her head, her father, Scott Dickey, told The Advocate the next day.

"A half-inch (higher) on her head would have killed her ... an inch the other way and she may well have lost an eye," he said.

Police said the Burnie 14-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged yesterday "in relation to the throwing of missiles from the Centro Complex, Burnie ... in which a four- month-old baby was injured".

They said he was charged with the following over the alleged August 18 incident:

Criminal Code assault;

several counts of trespass; and

throwing a missile to the danger of others.

He was bailed to appear in the Burnie Youth Justice Division of the Magistrates Court in early October.

"This inquiry was able to be quickly finalised largely due to the willing assistance of members of the Burnie community, which was extremely pleasing," Burnie Divisional Sgt Richard Chugg said.

Acting Burnie Divisional Insp Kim Steven said: "The willingness of members of the public to come forward and provide information enabled us to follow the line of inquiry which enabled an arrest."

He said information from the public often helped police.

"In the small to medium-sized communities we operate in, the cooperation of the public is paramount to our policing and making a safer community for everyone.

"A large number of police investigations are assisted by the information of the public and we continually encourage people with information to come forward.

"It may just be the piece of the jigsaw of an investigation we need to bring it to a conclusion.

"You might just think it's a minor piece, but it may fit into a bigger picture."