KEY POINTS:
Police have named the 15-year-old girl whose body was last night found beside a Northland stream.
She was Liberty Rose Templeman.
Liberty had been reported missing on Saturday evening after disappearing in Kerikeri, where she had been visiting friends.
She had recently moved from Kerikeri to Auckland, where she had been booked to return by bus yesterday afternoon.
Family, friends and police began searching for Liberty yesterday morning and an officer found the body near Wairoa Stream in Cobham Road, Kerikeri, about 5.30pm.
The site where her body was found is only a few hundred metres from Kerikeri's main shopping street.
A former orchard, it has now been earmarked for a hotel development.
Police this afternoon would not say what condition the body had been found in.
Inspector Chris Scahill also declined to comment on whether there was a sexual motive behind the death but said Liberty was clothed.
He also said it was too early to say whether her body had been moved to the site it was found in and said a post mortem was taking place in Auckland this afternoon.
Police are interviewing friends and associates this afternoon.
Inspector Scahill said the death had rocked the seaside town.
It is believed Liberty was last seen about 7pm on Saturday when a friend left her outside Kerikeri High School.
Liberty had planned to walk across the school grounds and the Kerikeri Domain to meet another friend at a supermarket but was not seen again.
Police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said this morning police would not be commenting on the state of the body.
Earlier this morning, Inspector Scahill said 30 police were working on the homicide investigation launched as a result of an initial scene examination.
Several marked and unmarked police cars remained at the scene last night, and police were interviewing passers-by and stopping passing cars.
Far North Mayor Wayne Brown said last night he was appalled at the news.
"I feel extremely sorry for the family and everyone involved in the town."
Police have asked anyone who may have seen Liberty to contact them. She is described as European, of medium build and with long straight dark hair and blue eyes.
She was wearing black jeans and a sparkly light coloured jersey. She may have been carrying a large bottle of Coca-Cola.
Mr Scahill said anyone who saw Liberty on Saturday should call Kerikeri police on 09 407 9211.
