Missing woman Bridget Simmonds, who was 42 when she disappeared. Photo / Supplied
Missing woman Bridget Simmonds, who was 42 when she disappeared. Photo / Supplied
The mother of missing Northland woman Bridget Simmonds hopes police find some answers so she can put an end to the recurring nightmare about her daughter's suspicious disappearance.
Police converged on a rural property 40km west of Whangārei this week after new information came to light in the case relatingto the missing mother of two.
A digger has been brought in to help in the search, reportedly to look through piles of rubbish and a long drop.
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, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said Simmonds' disappearance was hard for all the family and it was like living in a recurring nightmare.
"I'm hoping they find something ... I don't believe after all this time she is still alive, that's my feeling," she said today.
"I hope police can get some answers because for me this is constant. It's like you are living it over and over every day and there's no end to it. It would be a relief to find her so this can come to an end and we can move forward."
Police are focusing their investigation on a property on Wilson Rd in Parakao. Photo / NZ Police
Simmonds' 22-year-old daughter had recently asked if they could hold a memorial service but the family felt it was too soon and they did not have a clear idea of what had happened. Simmonds also has a 17-year-old son who lives with his father.
Police have notified the family new information meant they would focus on a 20 hectare block of land on Wilson Rd, Parakao, where Simmonds had previously lived and was thought to have gone to by taxi on the last day she was seen.
Her mother remembers the day she last saw her daughter.
Simmonds had gone to Kerikeri to stay with her mother, who said she had been recently assaulted, leaving her with broken ribs.
"She got into the wrong crowd before she disappeared."
But for four days they enjoyed each other's company.
"She could make me laugh until I cried," she remembered.
"Bridget was the one through my life to look after me when I was very sick. It was always her."
Police at Parakao property. Photo / Michael Cunningham
She recalled a time when Simmonds was only 5 years old and after getting her treat from the local dairy, a bag of lollies, she promptly handed over the lollies to a homeless man she spotted going through a rubbish bin.
"She was such a kind person everyone loved her and she was popular and had lots of friends. Sure she did a couple of stupid things in her life but Bridget didn't deserve to disappear like this."
She dropped Simmonds at Countdown supermarket in the Regent on her way to Auckland for the weekend on February 23.
"I loaded her three backpacks into a trolley and said I could wait for her to do her shopping and drop her where she wanted to go. She told me she had a friend who was going to do that so I carried on to Auckland."
It was the last time she saw her daughter.
Police search at Wilson Rd, Parakao, following the disappearance of Northland mother, Bridget Simmonds. Photo / Michael Cunningham
She has not been to the Parakao property and does not want to but just hopes police find evidence that will end her nightmare and give the family closure.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton said since she was reported missing, police had been working tirelessly to find Simmonds and on Wednesday had carried out a number of search warrants.
Recently, police had received new information from the public, which had led investigators to believe foul play may be involved.
Police also made an appeal to anyone who saw Simmonds at a property on Wilson Rd on February 23, 2019, to contact them.
They were particularly interested in speaking to a member of the public who contacted Crimestoppers after seeing the last appeal for information on March 10.
"We believe someone knows what happened to her and where she is and we urge them to come forward with information for the sake of Bridget's family," Clayton said.
Police have now made a direct phone line available for people to call with information that may help the case.
Anyone with information is urged to call 09 430 4555. All calls to this number will be treated in confidence.
The phone line will be manned 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, and anyone who calls outside those hours can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police are focusing on a rural property at Wilsons Rd at Parakao. Photo / Michael Cunningham
