The discovery of the body of NZ toddler Aisling Symes in a deep drain in West Auckland has prompted local police to defend their initial search of the area.
Police have no idea how the two-year-old ended up 36 metres along the underground drain close to the Henderson property where she disappeared eight days ago.
An autopsy revealed the girl showed no sign of injuries and appeared to have drowned.
Aisling's body had been released to her family and the death referred to the coroner.
Her discovery was a heartbreaking end to a horrific week for her parents Angela and Alan and her extended family, who at various times thought she was missing or abducted.
Family members on Tuesday afternoon said they were distraught at Aisling's death but were pleased she had been found.
"The loss of Aisling is unbearable," said David Ball, a brother of Aisling's mother Angela.
"It's hard to imagine life without her infectious smiles and her lovely nature."
It was terrible to discover she had died but that it did bring some closure, Ball said.
Wymond Symes, a cousin of Aisling's father Alan, said the toddler's parents were devastated.
Symes said police had done everything they could and the family was grateful.
The officer heading the search, Inspector Gary Davey, told a press conference on Tuesday that the toddler's body was found on Monday night after specialist digging equipment was brought in to dismantle the drain at the property adjacent to the one Aisling disappeared from.
Davey said he believed "it was more likely than not" that Aisling had been in the drain "from the start", even though it was repeatedly searched.
In the first hour of the search an officer looked into the entrance to the drain and called out Aisling's name.
The manhole cover was ajar about 10cm when the officer came to it but there was no sign of a body.
He returned 15 minutes later and climbed down into the manhole and shone a torch up and down the drainpipe for a distance of about five metres.
Search and rescue squad members and Aisling's father searched the drain separately that night also.
"I am confident that police did everything they could that night to find her in that drain with the resources that they had," Davey said.
As a result of "other areas of the inquiry going nowhere" it was decided at the weekend the drain should be checked again.
Specialist cameras able to see up to 10 metres were brought in but did not detect the toddler's body.
As the drain had a history of blockages, it was decided on Monday to dig it up.
"I am personally deeply saddened by the discovery of Aisling's body. I truly hoped we would be able to find her alive and bring her home to her family," Davey said.
"Unfortunately that is not to be the case."
Davey said the manhole cover was well beyond the capacity of a child to move and police would now work on establishing how Aisling got into the drain.
He said police had identified the Asian woman who had been at the centre of their investigation, but had not located her.
A witness reported seeing the woman talking to Aisling as she walked a dog in the street where the toddler went missing.
Aisling's family posted their remarks on a Facebook page set up while Aisling was missing.
"I am extremely devastated to have to report to you that Aisling's body has been found in a drain near where she went missing," the message said.
"If even the smallest positive can come from this at least we know we did all we could, it was a national effort, and thank you all for that, it did bring us together as a country, and proved at least that we are a nation full of caring and compassionate people, who genuinely want to help those in need, thank you all for that."
