A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 16-year-old girl in Manurewa, Auckland.
The young woman was found dead at a non-residential property near McVilly Road in the south Auckland suburb at about 4:30pm on Saturday.
The victim was extremely loved by her family and friends, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward from Counties Manukau Police said on Friday.
"They are absolutely devastated by what has happened to her," he said.
The man is expected to appear in Manukau District Court on Friday afternoon, charged with the 16-year-old's murder.
The welfare of the victim's loved ones is a priority for police, Det Snr Sgt Hayward said. Officers are working to support the family during this difficult time, along with Victim Support.
"We also want to acknowledge this incident was extremely upsetting to the Manurewa and wider Counties Manukau community and while the arrest today does not change the outcome, we hope it offers some degree of reassurance to the community," he said.
"Police are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident and will not be commenting further as the matter is now before the Courts."
The homicide investigation was launched on Monday after the young woman's body was discovered over the weekend.
A post-mortem examination was completed and police had been examining CCTV footage from the wider area - evidence that would form a crucial part of the investigation moving forward, a spokesperson said on Monday.
On Sunday, investigators and a police tent were seen on McVilly Road outside the Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand (BLENNZ) Homai campus, a special education school.
