A combination of post-mortem results and inquiries by Waikato Police on the Coroner's behalf have led to the identity of a woman's body found submerged in the Waikato River on Saturday.
Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton of the Hamilton CIB said given the evidence to hand Waikato Coroner, Gordon Matenga, was satisfied there was sufficient evidence to identify the remains as that of missing Hamilton pensioner, Audery GIBSON.
Mrs GIBSON, 82, had been missing from her Comries Rd home since December 02 and her disappearance had sparked an extensive search and flyer drop by Police, her family and volunteers.
Mr Thornton said Police were called to the Meremere Wharf in the north Waikato about 9am after reports of a person's body washing up on the port side of a barge tying up at the wharf.
"As a result an extensive recovery operation was commenced which included Search and Rescue squad members, Disaster Victim Identification officers and members of the Wellington based Police Dive Squad.
"Conditions were difficult for the recovery team with several logs in the water presenting a risk to the divers and it wasn't until about 7pm that Audrey's body was able to be recovered and from their transported to Auckland for a post-mortem examination that was carried out on Tuesday."
Mr Thornton said nothing in Tuesday's examination indicated Mrs GIBSON had suffered any injury nor was there any suggestion of foul play.
"Mrs GIBSON'S body has been to her family and from the Police's perspective we are pleased that her family, though grieving, have been allowed some closure by her identification."
Statement on behalf of Audrey Gibson's family.
Present granddaughters Anjula Manga and Angelina Tahere
On behalf of our extended family we would like to thank you for coming to this conference today.
With the identification of our nana's body we are able to put to rest a painful struggle our family has endured over the past 4 months.
Our family is relieved to have some closure with our nana being found and we would like to express our gratitude to national media for keeping our family's plight to the forefront of public attention.
We would also like to thank the Hamilton community for all their support, not only for their messages but for the food, help with flyers, stickers, printed T shirts and vests, it has all been a great source of support to us during this trying time.
We are grateful to finally get nana home, we can now lay her to rest and begin the grieving process.
It is at this point, with the grieving being at the forefront of our minds that we would ask our family's privacy be respected, to allow us to grieve and farewell nana with the dignity she deserves.
Our heartfelt thanks to you all.
End