Missing Northland woman: Official identification end of week

Police expect to confirm this week if a body found at a rural Northland property is that of missing mum Bridget Simmonds, above.

A post mortem and completion of the formal identification of a body believed to be that of missing Northland woman Bridget Simmonds is not expected until the end of the week.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton, of Whangārei police, said the body excavated from a Northland property was to undergo a post mortem examination yesterday."The police investigation continues and no further charges have been laid at this stage," Clayton said.

A team of police, that numbered 50 at its peak, completed the scene examination at a rural property, 40km west of Whangārei, at Wilson Rd, Parakao, on the weekend after the body was removed late on Saturday.

Last Thursday police arrested a 57-year-old man who appeared in the Whangārei District Court before Judge Brandt Shortland, who granted the man interim name suppression.

He faced a charge of possession of cannabis on June 9, 2020, and a second charge of wounding a woman with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on February 14, 2019.

"The investigation into Bridget's death has been lengthy and complex, involving hundreds of man hours," Clayton said.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton said the investigation into Bridget Simmonds' death had been lengthy and complex, involving hundreds of man hours. Photo / Michael Cunningham

He said information put out by the media had been crucial to the investigation and supporting the community.

Clayton said the police team working on the case have done a lot of work and leads some which had gone no where but others had been very useful.

He thanked Detective Sergeant Aaron Crawford and his team of officers and the tireless work they had done over the last few months as part of the investigation.

Simmonds, who was 42 at the time, was last seen at Countdown on February 23 and was reported missing on March 6 after all communication with her family stopped.

Simmonds' mother told the Northern Advocate that her daughter's disappearance was hard for all the family and it was like living a recurring nightmare.

A Whangārei friend of Simmonds who had known the mother of two for about a year before she disappeared said Simmonds deserved a proper send-off.

"We got on really well together she had gone through a lot and I could relate to that. She was a happy person and she was always helping people less fortunate than herself," the woman said.

"I know it's her they have found. She deserves a proper burial rather than being dumped."

She said Simmonds had lived at the Otaika Caravan Park and that is where they met and became friends.

"She wasn't perfect but she didn't deserve that."