THE IRISH father of a two-year-old girl who went missing in New Zealand on Monday said yesterday he and his wife are “barely existing” without their daughter.
Aisling Symes was with her parents, Alan and Angela, who were tidying up a property in the Auckland suburb of Henderson, when she disappeared about 5.30pm (5.30am Irish time) on Monday.
About 40 police are involved in the inquiry and have been tracking down known offenders and making house calls as they continue their search.
Mr Symes told a news conference yesterday that: “These recent days have proven to be the most harrowing of our lives. [We’ve had] no sleep and we feel like we’re barely existing, [just] surviving every moment, not knowing where Aisling is.”
Angela Symes was said to be too distraught to speak at the briefing. Mr Symes had his arm round her at all times. He pleaded for their daughter’s safe return.
“Aisling is our two-year-old daughter, sister to Caitlin, a cousin and a beloved niece and granddaughter. We want her back. So please, if you have any information, any at all, please come forward,” he said.
Auckland police inspector Gary Davey said he is still hopeful that Aisling is well and is being cared for. Speaking directly to the person or persons who may have her he said: “To whoever may have Aisling out there, the sole focus of the police at the moment is to have Aisling returned safely ... We hope that you come forward and leave her in a safe place so that she can be found.”
Mr Davey told Radio New Zealand it was critical that police find an Asian woman seen with Aisling around the time she went missing, whether or not she was involved in the disappearance, but cautioned people not to take the law into their own hands.
The woman police are seeking is thought to be about 35, with dark, shoulder-length hair. She was walking a black and grey dog at the time witnesses say they saw her.
Mr Davey said a woman who fitted the description was targeted by a group of people on Wednesday and has been left traumatised by their actions.
He said people should contact police rather than make approaches themselves.
