A five-year-old girl who went missing last night was found by passers-by in a central Hamilton car yard.
Glory Inoke is missing from her Hamilton home. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Glory Inoke was found in a locked car yard in central Hamilton this morning. She was cold and upset.
The Greenwood Street yard was about 5 to 6km from the family home in Ross Crescent, Fairfield. The owner said two passers-by saw her inside the yard.
Her father had visited the same car yard yesterday, just before it closed at 5.30pm. He was there to return a courtesy car and pick up his own vehicle.
The owner of Kiwi New Cars, Chris Chan, said the courtesy car wasn't checked before the business closed for the day.
"They just get dropped off, parked and then the next day - especially being that late in the night - the next day is when they get cleaned up for the next customer."
Mr Chan said there had been no sign of the girl and he did not know whether she was in a vehicle overnight or just wandering around the yard.
"We wouldn't have a clue."
Mr Chan said two young men spotted the five-year-old as they were on their way to work.
"One of them saw the girl standing on the inside of our front gate and they helped her get out and called the cops."
Mr Chan said the men reported the girl saying that her Dad had lost her. "They said she was just sweet-as, and that her Dad had lost her. The police said she was pretty chirpy."
Officers arrived at the Inoke home just before 7.30am to tell Glory's very relieved parents she had been found.
Her mother, Adi Inoke, said she was grateful her daughter was safe. "The only thing, she was shivering, I'm not sure, probably the whole night while we were searching for her."
She was being taken to the Anglesea Clinic - an accident and urgent medical centre - to be checked by medical staff.
All available officers in Hamilton, and dozens of volunteers, searched for the little girl overnight. Officers had been door-knocking in Ross Crescent and encouraging residents to thoroughly check their properties.
Senior Sergeant Robbie Hermann said Glory was one of six children. Her family noticed she was gone at 9pm but it wasn't clear what time she went missing.
"There are a number of other children at the address and it was just noticed that she wasn't there.
"Obviously they are really concerned," he said early this morning. "Their little girl is out there somewhere and they just want her back home."
Police staff searched streets and parks and a Land Search and Rescue team had been involved in the operation.
Five-year-old Glory was missing from her home in Ross Crescent, Fairfield. Photo: Google Maps
