UPDATED 9.44am: A body has been found in Woodhill Forest, where the search for missing Auckland woman Carissa Avison was focussed.
A body was found last night by a member of the public, a police spokeswoman confirmed.
Police officers remain at the scene, which is located in west Auckland.
The process of formally identifying the body is still on-going, the spokeswoman said, adding she could not confirm whether the body was that of Avison, who hasn’t been seen since January.
No information was currently available about whether the body was male or female, she said.
The search for Avison was concentrated in Woodhill Forest, before being suspended earlier this month.
The 21-year-old was last seen at the Hunting and Fishing store in Holder Place, Rosedale, on the North Shore around 10am on Thursday, January 26.
She did not show up for work that morning, despite leaving her Dockside Lane home, in the city centre, around 8.30am.
She hitched a ride from Holder Place to Coast Rd in Muriwai, believed to have arrived around 11am, and was not seen since.
Police and search and rescue teams scoured Woodhill Forest for Avison, who worked for Auckland Transport, but to no avail.
Detectives repeatedly assured the public foul play was not suspected in her disappearance.
NZ Herald
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