Baby Girl Anahera

Police continue DNA work on baby found dead at Auckland recycling centre: The baby girl who was found dead at a recycling facility in Onehunga has been named Anahera – meaning Angel – by members of the community. Police have been overwhelmed by the response from the wider community showing their respects for the newborn, who was found on August 16, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said. As well as the name, members of the community have provided two teddy bears and a traditional kahu huruhuru (feather cloak) for the baby girl to wear at her eventual funeral. Beard said police are continuing with DNA work in a bid to find the baby’s mother. More than 300 potential familial links have been found, with contacts all over the country including Christchurch, Hamilton and across Tāmaki Makaurau, he said. Officers have searched through CCTV footage from various trucks coming into the recycling plant, but are no closer to establishing what suburb the baby girl has come from, and what recycling truck she came in on, Beard said. Police have also not been able to determine for certain if the newborn came to the facility in a blue rubbish bag she was found near. The blue bags are used in several suburbs. Beard said police continue to appeal for the mother of the baby, or anyone who may know she is, to do the right thing and contact police. “We know someone knows what happened and we urge them, or anyone who suspects they may know who her mother is, to come forward and speak to us.” Anyone with information is urged to contact 105 quoting file number 210816/2825 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Source: Denise Piper via Stuff (18 September 2021).