Body found in search for missing Gisborne 5-year-old Khyzah

The extensive search for an autistic boy who went missing from his home in the rural community of Tiniroto, near Gisborne, on Sunday came to a tragic end on Monday when his body was found in a farm pond not far from his home.

Five-year-old Khyzah was found by police divers in the pond on a farm property just off Tiniroto Rd at Bushy Knoll about 3.30pm.

Close to 50 police and Search and Rescue personnel, along with more than 200 volunteers from all over that community and elsewhere in Tairāwhiti, had scoured the area for him since his mother reported him missing at 2.15pm on Sunday.

“The discovery of the little boy’s body was devastating for all those involved in the search and, of course, for his family,” search co-ordinator Detective Sergeant Wayne Beattie said.

“There were a lot of people in tears when the news came through that he had been found.”

The little boy was taken to Gisborne Hospital after being returned to his family.

“On behalf of everyone involved in the search for Khyzah, police have extended their condolences to the whānau,” Beattie said.

The boy’s surname has not been released.

“We ask people to respect the privacy of the family at this tragic time.”

Five-year-old Khyzah was reported missing from a residential address in Tiniroto, Gisborne. Photo / NZ Police

In an official statement this evening, police confirmed their national dive squad had found a body they believed to be Khyzah’s in a pond.

Inspector Darren Paki said it was not the outcome searchers were hoping for.

“Our hearts go out to Khyzah’s whānau and all those who loved him.

“I would like to thank everyone in the community who has contributed to this effort, whether it was actively searching, or simply providing kai and kind words. We have a wonderful tight-knit community here and we see the best of it in situations like this.”

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told NZME it was “heartbreaking news” when police discovered the body.

“Our community is in mourning. It is such a heartbreaking time and we just send our aroha and our prayers to Khyzah’s whanau in this very very sad time,” Stoltz said.

“We have been through so many tough times in the last couple of years and I’m so incredibly proud of how our community come together. In these tough times we have each other’s backs, we look after each other.”

Searchers comb area

Video from the search showed teams in wetsuits wading through rivers, tossing away debris and feeling along the riverbed.

The Hastings-based Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter joined the search yesterday with thermal imaging gear on board and made numerous sweeps over the area around Khyzah’s home.

“We also had searchers combing the area on foot, on quad bikes, and we had searchers on horseback looking in the forestry areas in the vicinity,” Beattie said.

Members of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) swift-water rescue team from Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay searched the waterways in the area.

Search and rescue dogs were also deployed.

“The national dive squad joined the search mid-afternoon,” Beattie said, adding the community support had been “overwhelming”.

“We would like to thank everyone who came to support the search and Khyzah’s family.”

Members of the search co-ordination team pictured working on the next phase of the operation (from left): James Jarden (field team leader Wairoa SAR), Senior Constable Tony Maultsaid and Detective Sergeant Brent Griffiths. Photo / Murray Robertson

Locals helped search for Khyzah

Locals were posting on social media, saying they were using dirt bikes, cars and horses in the search. One woman said she had walked many kilometres along the river bank, checked “every single hollow tree” and “every nook and cranny”.

She was asking others to return to the wool shed to mark off areas that had already been checked. ”We are about to head back again – hopefully we find him before the cold [and] rain set in.”

Tiniroto Rd resident Jenny Law told RNZ the community was “gutted”.

She did not know Khyzah, but her two sons were out searching and she was preparing food for the search party.

The base of the search for Khyzah at Tiniroto near Gisborne. Photo / Murray Robertson

”Just so sad. It’s tragic. As you do in a small community, we all rally around ... not many people may know them, it doesn’t really matter. It’s a kid, a 4- or 5-year-old kid.

”I did see a couple of the searchers that were on the road as I came down, and they said that they have searched absolutely every nook and cranny that they can possibly find around the house.

”They’ve just got to widen their search area now and see if they can find the poor boy.”

The terrain was hilly and rugged, and the creeks were full of water after lots of rain, but the community would not give up, she said.

”[I’m] just hoping that he’s snuggled up somewhere under a tree or somewhere warm. He’s got to be found today.”

A helicopter was used in the search for Khyzah at Tiniroto near Gisborne. Photo / Murray Robertson

People from as far away as Tolaga Bay – about 114km north – were travelling by mini-van to Tiniroto to join the search for the missing boy.

Khyzah was wearing a green hunting and fishing long-sleeve top, a nappy, no shoes and possibly black pants with skeleton bones at the front.

Members of the Ūawa community joined the search yesterday.

“Cross Country Rentals provided a bus for us and we had about a dozen members of our community go to Tiniroto to help search‚” Ūawa’s Regina Kahaki said.

“We went through a search like this in the Tolaga Bay area when 4-year-old Axle [Axle Hambleyn] went missing in 2021.

“It’s very sad what’s happened with Khyzah and it’s pulled at the heartstrings for so many people.”

Beattie said police would continue to support the boy’s whānau through this tragic time.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.