Family keep vigil at victim's home

A mother cried out "baby" as her 33-year-old daughter's body was carried out of a house in Pahiatua, north Wairarapa, yesterday afternoon.

As Roseanne Naomi Harry's body was placed gently into a hearse, her 15-year-old daughter collapsed in the arms of family and wailed.

Almost 30 family members and friends gathered yesterday to wait for the body to be removed.

The mother of three was killed on the weekend in what police say appears to be a "domestic-type" crime.

Police found her body shortly after midnight on Saturday after a 32-year-old man presented himself at the Tauranga police station.

The man, who is believed to have lived with Ms Harry at the address, appeared in the Tauranga District Court yesterday on unrelated charges.

Tom Garry Aporo, 32, of Pahiatua, was accused of assaulting a female in Masterton on May 31, intentionally damaging two of her car windows, and stealing her cellphone worth $599.

Judge Chris McGuire remanded Aporo in custody without plea to Palmerston North District Court on August 8 in relation to these charges.

A post-mortem will be held on the body tomorrow before the family can take her to their marae in Martinborough.

The man who runs the shearing gang both Ms Harry and her 16-year-old daughter, Melody, worked for said Ms Harry was "a good sort, bubbly and effervescent".

Motu Tua of Eketahuna said Ms Harry - who was known as Rose - had worked as a rousie in the gang for 10 months or so.

While Ms Harry had not worked with the gang for a while, Melody was employed until recently and had told Mr Tua the family was planning to move to Tauranga.

- NZPA