Police investigate girl's 'missing' four hours

A 13-year-old girl found disoriented and wandering Napier streets early yesterday has sparked an inquiry police hope witnesses may be able to help solve.

Detective Emmet Lynch of the Napier CIB said he hoped much of the mystery would be solved today after a 15-year-old boy, who had met up with the girl around midnight, was interviewed.

The girl had effectively lost about four hours of memory.

"She has little or no memory of what happened," Mr Lynch said, adding the incident was out of character for the girl.

What police had been able to piece together was that she had gone to Nelson Park and met up with the 15-year-old boy around midnight.

"We are investigating the circumstances surrounding that meeting," he said.

The girl was found several hours later wandering along a street by a passing motorist who took her back to her Marewa home about 6am.

Mr Lynch said she appeared to be under the extreme influence of alcohol or drugs.

He said the possibility she may have been assaulted in some way had not been ruled out.

The girl's parents became aware of what had happened later in the day and contacted police.

Mr Lynch said he wanted to hear from both the member of the public who picked the girl up and took her home. He was also keen to hear from anyone who saw her either alone or with a companion in the greater Nelson Park area late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY