Dan Thompson: Searching for one of our nation's children

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I have worked on a number of abductions over my 30 years as a private investigator, and the one haunting thing that runs through each case is witnessing the parents suffer the horror of not knowing; the tricks the mind plays on these vulnerable, desperate victims.

The armchair detectives out there can be assured that when a serious matter like this occurs in New Zealand the chances of a successful resolution by our police is as high as any place on earth.

The scene and last place the missing child was seen is often the hub of the investigative process, and energy is radiated in numerous directions at once, with each spoke of the inquiry searching for positive leads on numerous possible scenarios. Clearly the reports coming from the media and police indicate the physical search has been thorough and meticulous.

It makes sense to now concentrate on the other possibilities including abduction. Any person who was the last person to be seen with Aisling is, of course, of paramount importance.

Here we strike the problem of cultural differences. Sadly, many immigrants arrive carrying the fears of the historical injustices in their homelands. Many immigrants, including some Asians, carry a learned distrust of police and law enforcement. It is still hard for them to come forward, even though they embrace the freedoms of New Zealand.

It is now time to rally our Asian community and get as much help from it as possible to drill down into the area and find the woman last seen with Aisling. Cultural differences aside, one cannot imagine any woman who, seeing a small vulnerable child on the street, would not take that child into her care and get immediate assistance.

This is one spoke in the investigative wheel that the police will be certainly concentrating on, and the Asian community needs to step up now with every ounce of energy it can muster to help clear this avenue of inquiry.

One can only imagine with spine-chilling emotion the fear and hurt that Angela and Alan Symes are going through with little Aisling being missing.

It is an emotion that also runs through every caring person in New Zealand as we search for one of our nation's children.

We all feel the responsibility of care; we are all locked in a vacuum of hope and fear, waiting and praying for her safe return. Every police officer will be using his or her best endeavours to add their weight to resolve this gut-wrenching incident, which is every parent's nightmare.

I just hope the charlatan mystics keep well away and do not waste any of the police resources.

Aisling is a beautiful Irish girl's name meaning dream or vision.

Let's keep hold of a vision of her safe return.

* Dan Thompson, a former Otahuhu police officer, set up Paragon Investigations with Ron McQuilter three years ago. Paragon previously offered its assistance on Europe's Madeleine McCann case.