12 Jun 2020

Police find body in search for missing Northland woman

8:23 pm on 12 June 2020

Police have found a body in their search for missing Northland woman Bridget Simmonds.

Bridget Simmonds was reported missing by her family on 6 March.

Missing Northland woman Bridget Simmonds. Photo: NZ Police

The 43-year-old mother of two was last seen in Whangārei in February last year when her mother dropped her off at a Countdown supermarket.

Police narrowed their efforts to an area on a rural property in Parakao today.

They said they had found a body, and while a formal identification process was yet to be completed, they believed it was Simmonds'.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton told RNZ's Checkpoint police had information from members of the public and a person who was assisting them which indicated that it was.

"We had information from our investigation team that we believe Bridget had taken a taxi to that property, but we also had information from members of the public that she'd been there."

He said police had received information from a number of people, but they particularly wanted to hear again from a person who contacted police anonymously through Crimestoppers last year.

"There's certainly a number of pieces of the puzzle that we'd like to put together and anyone who's got information, we'd love to hear from them."

Clayton said they had also found property of interest but he was unable to divulge where that was because the matter would go before the court.

Police are still excavating the body and a post-mortem will be carried out, he said.

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