Police have confirmed the body that washed up in New Plymouth yesterday is missing teenager Nikolao "Niko" Meafua.
A post-mortem was carried out today, and New Plymouth police have referred the death to the coroner.
The 16-year-old's body was discovered near the
coastal walkway in New Plymouth. A member of the public alerted police
yesterday afternoon after seeing the body on the rocks, just below the
walkway, near the Kawaroa Todd Energy Aquatic Centre.
Niko walked out of his mother's Bell Block home barefoot after an argument on June 10.
A few days later he was
spotted around the Coastal Walkway in Fitzroy. Police were unable to
confirm it, but a spokeswoman says officers are "sure it was a positive
sighting".
This was backed up by several phone
calls from New Plymouth locals, the most recent coming over the weekend,
claiming to have seen the teenager.
"We do believe he is still alive and he might be receiving assistance from somebody," said the police spokeswoman.
Before
yesterday's discovery, Niko's mother, Paula Meafua, had made a
heartbreaking plea via police and social media for her son to return.
3 News Wed, 26 Jun 2013 4:05p.m.
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