KEY POINTS:
The woman who was wrapped in bedding and dumped in a South Auckland river has been identified as Patricia Joseph, a Cook Island mother of an 8-year-old girl.
Police have been trying to identify Ms Joseph since two kayakers found her body in Clevedon's Wairoa River two weeks ago.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry said a new search of the river this week resulted in police finding several new items, which led them to an address at Otara. From there they were able to identify the 37-year-old woman - and make two arrests.
A man and woman who also lived at the weatherboard house and are believed to be caregivers appeared in the Manukau District Court late yesterday charged with improperly dumping Ms Joseph's body.
The couple, who wore police-issue boiler suits and showed little emotion throughout their brief appearance, were granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody without plea for one week.
Police said the arrests far from signalled the end of their inquiries into the homicide case.
Yesterday they carried out extensive searches of Ms Joseph's home, seizing a number of items from under the house and focusing a lot of their time on a fireplace at the back of the house.
Neighbours said two dogs that normally stayed at the house were also taken away early yesterday morning.
One man said the people who lived in the house were quiet and mostly kept to themselves.
They did, however, like to go fishing and often gave fish they caught to others in the street.
Mr Gutry said police were still trying to build a better picture of who Ms Joseph was but it is understood she had an 8-year-old daughter who was cared for by other family members.
She had not seen her family for some time and was believed to have mental health issues which police were looking into further.
Ms Joseph was wearing a blue T-shirt and incontinence pants when she was found in the river.
Detectives say they now know how she died and more serious charges, such as manslaughter, may be laid.
They would still like to hear from anyone in the Clevedon area who saw anything suspicious last month.
It is believed Ms Joseph had been in the river for some time before her body was found.
OPERATION RIVER
Jan 20: Body found in Wairoa River, wrapped in bedding and weighted down with a rock.
Jan 31: Police identify victim as Patricia Joseph after a new search of river.
Feb 1: Two people appear in court charged with improperly dumping Ms Joseph's body. Further charges are expected to be laid.
