18 Jul 2008

Abducted five-year-old girl found safe

9:48 pm on 18 July 2008

The abducted Auckland girl Cina Ma has been found safe.

The five-year-old was taken from outside her Harrowglen home on Monday. She had been snatched by a masked or disguised man and bundled into a car.

Detective Inspector Steve Wood says the girl is safe and back in the care of her family.

She was found at an unspecified North Shore address at 3.15 on Friday afternoon.

The police in Auckand have arrested a 25-year-old Chinese national who will face a charge of assault.

He will appear in the North Shore District Court on Saturday. Further, more serious charges are expected to follow.

The police are not ruling out further arrests.

Meanwhile, cordons are in place at two properties around the corner from where Cina Ma was snatched.

The police cannot yet say the extent of any injuries that Cina Ma may have received, while being held captive.

They had refused to release much information during their inquiry because of fears over Cina Ma's personal safety.

However, they always believed she was in New Zealand and unharmed.