Rahui on Hutt River after body of missing 5-year-old found

Emergency tape was still at the scene on Wednesday morning. Photo / Nick James

A rahui is in place in the Hutt River after a 5-year-old boy was found dead there last night.

The boy was found at 9.15pm after an extensive search of the Ngāti Tama Park, Upper Hutt. He had been reported missing at 5.40pm.

Police said this morning the cause of death would be determined by a coroner.

Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy said the community was "stunned and upset" by the
tragedy.

"It's devastating for the family and the Upper Hutt community," he said.

"Any incident like this – particularly when there is a young child involved - the whole community feels it, and we as a community are grieving with the family."

The walkway to the Hutt River near Ngāti Tama Park had been fenced off this morning, and Guppy said the local marae had completed a ceremony. A rahui would be in place until the day after the burial.

"In the area where this tragedy occurred there'll be no swimming and no going near it for the few days while that is in place. It's about observing that and making sure we respect that while the rahui's in place, that no one goes into the water."

Upper Hutt locals said hundreds had turned up to search for the boy when he went missing yesterday evening.

"I know the emergency services were here last night but there were large numbers of the community out helping for when the young boy went missing," Guppy said.

"I want to thank all those people that searched into the night looking for the young man."

Although the river is a popular summer swimming spot, residents told NZME it had not been fast-flowing yesterday because water levels are low.