KEY POINTS:
Kidnapped Xin Xin Ma and her family have not returned to China and are "not very far away", police said today.
It was reported over the weekend that the Ma family had fled New Zealand over fears of retaliatory action by triad gang members.
Xin Xin's aunt Hong Zhou told the Herald on Sunday that the little girl, her mother and other family members had returned to China after allegations members of the 14K Triad gang had also been involved in the abduction.
However today the officer in charge of the inquiry into Xin Xin's kidnapping, Detective Inspector Mike Bush, said reports the family had fled were incorrect.
He would not give whereabouts to protect them from publicity, but said they were not very far away.
Mr Bush said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the case.
- NZHERALD STAFF
