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Aisling Symes - Source: ONE News -
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Police investigating the disappearance of Auckland two-year-old Aisling Symes have confirmed they believe the body found in a drain in west Auckland, is that of the missing toddler.
Inquiry head Inspector Gary Davey held a media briefing at Henderson police station on Tuesday morning and says he believes her death was an accident.
The toddler was found in a pipeline close to the property where she went missing, 36 metres away from a manhole.
Davey says he is sure police did everything they could to find the toddler who went missing a week ago.
He says the drain was repeatedly searched the night she disappeared, by police, search and rescue, and Aisling's father.
Later, Watercare cameras were put down the drain and they couldn't see her either.
It wasn't until diggers were brought in to open up the drain that her body was found.
"I truly hoped we would find her alive and bring her home to her family," Davey says.
"Sadly that is not to be the case."
Davey says it's still too early to say exactly how Aisling got into the drain, or how long she had been there.
He also confirmed that police identified the mystery Asian woman last seen with Aisling. She was identified through profiling of people who had in the past shown suspicious behaviour and activity.
Police are attempting to locate her.
The body police believe to be Aisling was found shortly after 8pm Monday and removed from the scene just after midnight.
Firefighters, using concrete cutters, and police had been excavating for about five hours. The wooded property where she was found is down a long drive that adjoins the back of Aisling's deceased grandparents' home.
Aisling went missing from the west Auckland suburb of Henderson last Monday while her mother Angela was distracted for a moment with a washing machine tap.
Police made a detailed search within a 3km radius of the house for two days after she went missing.
The area where the body was found has been cordoned off and is being treated as a crime scene.
A post mortem examination of the child's body, which is currently at the Auckland Hospital mortuary will be carried out on Tuesday.
