The neighbour of a child found dead in Onehunga this morning says he heard the young girl's mother screaming in the early hours one morning about two weeks ago.
A mother and her young child lived at the home on Moana Ave, neighbour Avia Amosa said.
About a fortnight ago, Mr Amosa, said he was woken by screams coming from the adjoining house about 2am.
He rushed outside to see what was happening and knocked on the door. He said the child's mother answered holding the girl in her arms.
"She said her girl was very, very sick," he said.
Mr Amosa said his young children were crying when they heard the news this morning.
His children often play with the young girl, he said.
"They were crying this morning. I'm worried about them," he said.
The scene examination is well underway at the two-bedroom house, with a number of investigators entering the house and taking photos.
It is not know where in the house the body of the young child was found but a body was removed from the house this afternoon.
Police were called to the Onehunga address just after 4am today. They arrived five minutes later.
"On arrival, officers discovered the body of a young child and immediately closed the scene down."
Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Baldwin said police were called to the scene by the woman at the house. She was later taken away for medical treatment.
This afternoon, an Auckland District Health Board spokesman said a woman police had earlier removed from the address was now in their care.
Mr Baldwin said he wasn't able to comment on the relationship between the two occupants and stressed that the investigation was in its early stages.
Officers were conducting inquiries on the street and immediate area around the property he said, as well as talking to neighbours.
Police are locating and notifying the child's next of kin.
Police are erecting a white tent outside the house.
Neighbour Des Gilmore said he had called the homeowner's parents in Malaysia and broken the news to them.
They had not taken the news well, Mr Gilmore said.
Police have asked Mr Gilmore if he is willing to identify the body, if necessary.
"It'll be a hard one but I can," he said.
"I've promised the father [of the woman] that I'll do everything I can."
It's understood the house is a Housing NZ property.
Mr Gilmore said the mother always looked after the house and her daughter was always clean and nicely dressed.
"She was a beautiful girl. That's what hurts me the most. It's very, very odd."
Housing NZ and Child Youth Family say the death is a Police matter and have referred all inquiries to the police.
Both neighbours were unaware anything had happened next door until they saw police outside the house this morning.
A man known to the victim has been charged with assault.