Aisling inquest: Cover flipped over

Testing shows that if two-year-old Aisling Symes stood on a displaced manhole cover it would have flipped. Photo / supplied

A police officer has told the inquest into the death of Aisling Symes that testing shows if she stood on a displaced manhole cover it would have flipped.

The two-year-old's body was found in a drain on a neighbouring property a week after she went missing from her West Auckland home.

Detective Sergeant James Watson says he carried out a scene examination after the body of Aisling was found.

He says she would have gone down the pipe head first as he believes it would have been impossible to turn around inside the pipe.

James Watson says his testing also shows a build up of water in the drain would have only taken several minutes after Aisling entered the drain.

Aislings parents Angela and Alan left the courtroom when details of her final moments were relayed.

Earlier at the inquest, another police officer who searched for the missing two-year-old confirmed that the week long search may have been cut short had he reported his findings on a dislodged manhole cover.

Constable Gareth Needham gave evidence at the inquest this morning.

Mr Needham said he spoke to a neighbour on the day Aisling went missing.

He said the neighbour directed him to a driveway where the neighbour said he saw a young girl 25 minutes before.

Mr Needham said he saw a manhole cover "upside down and not completely covering the hole".

"There was a 12cm gap at the maximum point."

He said he lifted the cover that weighed about 20kg.

"A small amount of water was flowing."

He said he put his head inside the manhole and used a torch to check up and down the drain.

"I called out Aisling, there was no response."

He searched other properties nearby some which had thigh-high plants, broken machinery and old car parts in their yards.

"I did not mention the manhole cover to my supervisor because I thought it was impossible Aisling could have gone down the manhole because of the weight of the cover," Mr Needham said.

Under questioning from Coroner Garry Evans, Mr Needham said he did not complete a police job sheet on the drain because it was "only one of a hundred places that we searched".

He confirmed that he filed a job sheet the next day.

Coroner Evans asked: "We would have made much better purchase if you had discussed your findings with your supervisor on the fifth or sixth [of October]?"

Mr Needham confirmed that was correct but said he had notified a search and rescue member about the drain.

"What have we learned?" asked the coroner.

Mr Needham said it was best to put as much information into jobsheets as possible but he had searched "hundreds of places where a little girl could have got into trouble".

Up to 100 volunteers and police searched for her before her body was found by fire fighters.

Aisling was farewelled at the Ranui Baptist Church in West Auckland by hundreds of mourners.

Under cross-examination from Auckland Council lawyer Grant Illingworth, Mr Needham said it did not seem "realistic" that Aisling could have gone down the drain.

Mr Needham said he re-visited the site after Aisling's body was found and said he was surprised how easy the manhole cover flipped with little weight applied to it.

The inquest continues.