Friends, family remember Carmen

Carmen Thomas' dismembered body was found in the Waitakere Ranges last October. Photo / Facebook

Family and friends of murdered Auckland mother Carmen Thomas will gather on a beach in her native South Africa today to mark the first anniversary of her death.

The 32-year-old's dismembered body was found in plastic containers in the Waitakere Ranges last October, after a 10-week police investigation.

Brad Callaghan, Ms Thomas' former partner and the father of her 5-year-old son Jack, has been charged with her murder.

He has pleaded not guilty, and is to stand trial in February.

Before the anniversary friends and family were paying tribute to Ms Thomas on a Facebook page set up in her memory.

Her mother Teresa Scott arranged a gathering on a Durban beach to celebrate Ms Thomas' life.

"29th June 2010 you were taken away from us. We weren't able to say goodbye or tell you how much we love you," she wrote.

"I know you will be twinkling up there and telling us to have a rave."

She asked people to bring a candle to the celebration, and a balloon with a message inside for her daughter.

"We will watch as they find their way to her bright star."

Her aunt Carolyn Lavagna, who lives in Britain, wrote: "Love you to the stars and back again Carmen, a part of my life forever. Almost a year since that person took your life, he has to live with that ... he has hurt so many people with what he has done."

A cousin wrote: "Some days are harder than others, and why does it still feel so surreal? Miss you and love you always."

High school friend Sandra Gurney, said the last year had been "horrible and so turbulent".

The hardest thing for her was knowing "a beautiful boy has lost his precious mummy".

"I have a little girl just a bit younger than Jack and don't want to begin to even think how she would cope if I wasn't around.

"I just hope Jack has some memories of how much his Mummy loved him and doted on him."

She plans to find the brightest bunch of flowers and take them to her grandfather's grave.

"I can't lay them at Carmen's resting place but I believe the two special people who I have lost will be together..."

Ms Thomas' son is in the care of relatives in Auckland.

Her niece is understood to be compiling a scrapbook for him to help him remember his mother.

At her funeral last year, friends told of how Ms Thomas "built her life around Jack" like a "lioness protecting her cub".

Her mother described her as fun-loving, mischievous and always pushing the boundaries of life.

Ms Thomas, who worked part-time as an escort, was last seen on June 27 last year.

Police allege Callaghan murdered her on June 29 and later disposed of her body in the Waitakere Ranges, in West Auckland.