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The search for a missing two-year-old west Auckland girl has taken a sinister turn as police now believe Aisling Symes may have been kidnapped.
Aisling has not been seen since she was walking near her home in Longburn Rd, Henderson about 5.30pm on Monday, when it's believed she wandered off.
Police have widened their inquiry as fears grow for her safety.
The toddler's family has also made an emotional plea for her return.
Aisling's parents are still too distraught to speak publicly, but her aunty Aithne Potts on Wednesday pleaded for her return.
"We don't know why you wouldn't have told us. It's been so long and we know nothing so, please tell us where she is. We just want her home," says Potts.
After an intensive search of the area where Aisling disappeared, police say it's looking more and more likely she has been abducted.
Waitakere Police area commander Inspector Gary Davey says he thinks that is a fair assessment given the width and thoroughness of the search, and given Aisling's age and how far she could move under her own steam.
He says police dive teams are confident she isn't in the stream behind the Henderson home where she went missing, but can't rule out she may have been swept out to sea.
Police are working closely with her family to find out more about the little girl and her habits.
Potts says Aisling loves to dance, loves music and loves to play with her dolls.
Police are still calling for the woman seen approaching Aisling shortly before her disappearance to come forward. They believe language barriers may be an issue and are appealing through Asian media.
The woman was around 35 years old, of medium height and build. She was wearing a black top and blue three-quarter length jeans, black socks and sandals. She had straight, black shoulder-length hair and was walking a medium sized black and grey dog.
Police swooped on Wednesday after receiving a tip off about a woman fitting that description.
It turned out to be a false alarm but shows the level of attention the case is getting.
The police are now also focusing on criminal activity.
"We're also doing things like going through our records to see what other suspicious activity and suspicious behaviour has been reported in that area over the past one, two three weeks," says Davey.
A Henderson man says he didn't expect that such a thing could happen in the area.
But it's now looking more likely that may just be the case.
Davey says both police and her family are hopeful they will find the little girl.
Police are urging anyone with information to call their hotline on 0800 4 AISLING, or numerically it's 0800 424 75464.
