KEY POINTS:
Police trying to find a missing 11-year-old Lower Hutt girl think she is still in the area and could be staying with friends.
Aniwaniwa (Aniwa) Mihaere was last seen by her foster family at their home in Molesworth Street, Taita, around 7.30pm on Friday.
Detective Sergeant Scott Cooper said Aniwa's foster family were becoming increasingly worried.
He said there was no indication as to why she had run away or where she was staying.
"It's quite possible that Aniwa is still in the Lower Hutt area and staying with friends.
"We want her to know that she's not in trouble but her carers and us want to know she's okay."
Mr Cooper said police were still trying to track down Aniwa's friends and school mates from Avalon Intermediate to see if they had seen her.
"It's now the start of the school holidays so perhaps she's spent the weekend with some friends and is now thinking about going home," he said.
Police would be looking at popular areas where young people congregated.
Mr Cooper said Aniwa was Maori, around 167cm tall, and of thin build with long brown hair.
She was last seen wearing a blue and white zip up hooded sweatshirt with white writing on the front, pink three quarter track suit pants, and black and white slip-on shoes.
- NZPA
