Body of 16-year-old found in street

A body found in a street in Ngaruawahia, 20km northwest of Hamilton, this morning is that of a 16-year-old local youth.

A passing motorist saw the youth's body lying in Herschel Street early this morning and contacted police.

"He has been identified as a 16-year-old local youth and his death has been referred to the Coroner, with a post mortem likely to be carried out in Auckland tomorrow," Acting Waikato Crime Services Manager Detective Inspector Greg Nicholls said.

Police were examining both the scene where his body was found and the nearby Ngaruawahia Fire Station, where a window was smashed.

"Now that the young man's identity has been established, the main focus of the inquiry teams' work is piecing together the circumstances of how he came to be lying in the street," Mr Nicholls said.

"It is too early to make comment on the cause of the young man's death."

Anyone with any information was asked to contact Hamilton police.

- NZPA