The child parents who recently had a baby together are step-siblings.

While police say an investigation is continuing after a 14-year-old boy fathered a baby with his 12-year-old step-sister, The West Australian understands that charges are unlikely to be laid against either of the young parents.

Commissioner Chris Dawson said yesterday that the welfare of both the children and the infant was paramount and WA Police were working closely with child protection officers.

“It’s a very delicate, sensitive situation but we’re primarily concerned about making sure the right support mechanisms are in place,” he said.

“While there is a police investigation, it’s primarily centred on the welfare.”

The parents could be charged for engaging in sexual activity, because the law says that anyone under 16 cannot consent, but police have the discretion not to prosecute.

It is understood the girl told people she had not known she was pregnant before she gave birth at home this month. She and the baby were then taken to hospital.

It is unclear if the boy and girl live together full-time. Government sources have described the case as very “complex and sad”.

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They said family members were devastated to learn of the pregnancy and have been seeking continuing support and advice from health and welfare agencies in the past week.

But State Government departments, including WA Health, continue to be tight-lipped about care arrangements for the baby.

The Department of Communities has previously refused to say what will happen to the baby or who will care for it.

A spokesman for the department said yesterday that it was unable to comment in order to protect the privacy of individuals and families.