Kathleen Kawana's body was discovered at a rural Gisborne property on August 3. Photo / Paul Taylor
Kathleen Kawana's body was discovered at a rural Gisborne property on August 3. Photo / Paul Taylor
Police urgently need to speak to an East Coast man who may be able to help with the investigation into the unexplained death of Kathleen Kawana.
Kawana's body was found in a Ngarimu Hill property, north of Gisborne on August 3.
"The property recently changed hands and the body was found by the new owners who had gone to have a look around there last Saturday," Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Quinn said at the time.
Now police need to speak to 42-year-old Ri Nikora of Flaxmere, who has not been in touch with his family for several weeks.
"The investigation team looking into the death of Kathleen Kawana believes he may be able to provide information that may help," police said in a statement.
"Police urges Mr Nikora to get in touch with police and his family, who are concerned for his wellbeing."
Kathleen Kawana holds a portrait of her daughter Iriaka, who was tragically killed after being crushed by a tree in 2005. Photo / Paul Taylor
Kawana's family today described the 46-year-old as "a loved mother of eight beautiful children, grandmother to her granddaughter 'Chewybean', and the daughter of the late Lois Timothy and Melvin Kawana of Bridge Pa".
She was the middle child of five and grew up in Flaxmere, attending Irongate Primary school and Flaxmere Intermediate and Karamu High School.
"Growing up, Kathleen was a quiet person who kept to herself, however she was always there when her family needed her," the family said.
She was buried in Bridge Pa last Friday.
"The whanau is still in shock about Kathleen's passing and we ask that anyone with information about her movements, or anyone who saw or spoke to her, let the police know."
"She will be sadly missed by all."
Kawana's death was the second tragedy to happen in the same family, with her own daughter dying, aged 6, in 2005.
Iriaka Te Rangi Maria Kawana was six when she was pinned beneath a 10cm thick outer branch of a low-slung 30cm-thick arm of a tree which snapped near where it joined the trunk.
The tree was a 35-year-old bluegum and the incident happened on March 16 that year at Flaxmere's Lochain Park.
Investigations into the six year-old's death revealed a group of children playing on the branch of the 35-year-old gum tree, with two of them bouncing on it as Iriaka hung from it.
When the branch broke the other children were thrown clear, but Iriaka was pinned for 15 minutes while adults were found to lift the branch off her.
No evidence of decay was found at the point where the branch broke off the tree, and the Hastings District Council had received no complaints about it.
