Toddler may have been ‘kidnapped to order’

THE head of a major search for a two-year-old Irish girl who disappeared in New Zealand on Monday has admitted the toddler may have been kidnapped to order.

Since Monday afternoon Aisling Symes, whose father is originally from Stradbally in Co Waterford, has been missing from her home in Auckland, New Zealand.

Almost 100 police officers and volunteers have scoured the surrounding area over the past six days in the hope of finding some clue to the toddler’s disappearance.

Officers are continuing to keep an open mind on the case.

However, the head of the investigation inspector, Gary Davey, has confirmed that it is likely the two-year-old has been kidnapped, with a deliberate targeting of the Symes’ youngest child not being ruled out.

“That is a possibility. What I am trying to do is to convince the public to keep an open mind.

“We don’t have any evidence to suggest any scenario, but some are more likely than others. Abduction is more likely than her wandering off, given the thoroughness of our search,” said Insp Davey.

He added that after studying recent rainfall and the current in a creek near the area where Aisling disappeared, the search and rescue team believe it is “highly unlikely” the toddler could have been swept away by the water.

While officers have no specific leads, they are working on the belief that Aisling is still alive and was abducted from her late grandmother’s house in Henderson, Auckland, while her mother Angela was cleaning.

They have made a public appeal for an Asian woman with long dark hair who is believed to be in her mid-30s and was seen speaking to Aisling on the day of her disappearance to come forward.

Since the alert was raised over Aisling’s disappearance, a large-scale investigation has been carried out in an 8km radius of where the girl disappeared.

More than 40 police officers have scoured the area, helped by a similar number of volunteers.

Child abductions are considered rare in New Zealand, with just five children disappearing without a trace since 1959.

International attempts have also been made to locate Aisling, with the family of Madeleine McCann, who disappeared while on holiday in Portugal in May 2007, offering to provide any support necessary to find the missing Irish girl.

In an emotional appeal on Thursday evening, Aisling’s distraught father Allan called on anyone who may have his daughter to leave her in a safe place where she could be found.

“These recent days have proven to be the most harrowing of our lives. No sleep, it’s been like we’re barely existing,” he said.