Mystery over missing mother

Security staff keep watch last night outside the home of Carmen Thomas in Ngapuhi Rd, Remuera. Photo / Dean Purcell

Fears are mounting for a Remuera mother missing for two weeks and police say they are "preparing for the worst".

South African-born Carmen Thomas has not been seen since July 1 and police are worried for the safety of the 32-year-old Aucklander following the discovery of her car.

"We've got concerns, considering the way the car was left in Hamilton, the fact that she's not made any contact with her 5-year-old [and] her bank account hasn't been touched since the 27th [of last month]," Acting Detective Inspector Mark Benefield said last night.

While there was no evidence at this stage to suggest anything sinister, Ms Thomas's work as an escort at a gentlemen's club heightened the chances of her having come to harm, he said.

"She was quite a vivacious young lady who liked partying, so it means you open yourself up."

Mr Benefield said police were "hoping for the best but preparing for the worst".

"It's now getting on nearly two weeks and no contact with her friends. She's not answering texts, her phone's off."

Ms Thomas, who had just landed a role in the television series Spartacus, has a 5-year-old son, Jack, who was last night with his father.

Mr Benefield said the estranged couple were on civil terms and had a joint-custody arrangement.

"They kept communicating for the benefit of the kid," he said.

The last confirmed sighting of Ms Thomas was in Auckland on July 1.

Four days later, her black Nissan Pulsar was seen parked in Hamilton.

It wasn't until she was reported missing on Tuesday that the car was towed.

Inside, police found personal items, including cash.

They have also traced calls to her mobile phone and found that all communication stopped halfway though last week.

Mr Benefield said Ms Thomas suffered from depression, but "no more than anybody else", and there was nothing to suggest she had taken her own life.

One of the last people to speak with Ms Thomas, who has been in New Zealand for 4 years, is her boss, the owner of the gentlemen's club.

The man, who did not want to be identified, said Ms Thomas had worked for him as an escort since mid-May.

He said it would be unfair if people judged her for what she did for a living, given what a wonderful person she was.

"She will be tarred with that brush ... but those names just don't fit her.

"She was an absolutely devoted mum to her young son. He meant the whole world to her, there was no doubting that."

On her Facebook page, Ms Thomas talks about Jack starting school and asks when is it okay for him for walk to his classroom by himself.

"He has been at school a term but I think I would worry," she says, before asking for help with her dilemma. Several people offer suggestions.

The club owner said Ms Thomas was an ambitious woman who had recently learned through her talent agency that she had won a role on Spartacus, which will be filmed in New Zealand next month. The movie stars Lucy Lawless.

While he didn't know a lot of the details, it was a small speaking part and she was "over the moon" about it.

"I think it was an aspiration of hers to break into that area [the movies]. She was absolutely ecstatic about it."

The last time the club owner spoke to Ms Thomas was July 3, when she called to say she had been in hospital.

He said she had received chemotherapy in the past and, as a result, had a weakened immunity system, which meant she often got sick.


She told her boss she was tired of always being sick and was going to see a specialist in Wellington the next week.

Her boss sent her two text messages after that, but she did not reply.

He is now worried about what has happened and urged anyone with information about Ms Thomas's whereabouts to call the police.

"I would never say she's got the ability to hurt herself because she's just got too much going for her."

Mr Benefield said it was out of character for Ms Thomas not to have had contact with her son over the past two weeks, although she had failed to keep her side of the joint-custody agreement recently.

He said it was possible she had sought medical treatment in the past fortnight but police had been unable to find any record of this at hospitals around the country.

Police are now appealing for anyone with information about Ms Thomas to call them.

They say if anyone knows where she is or recalls having seen her or her car since July 1, they should contact the Operation Keppel team on 0800 KEPPEL - 0800-537-735 - or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.

Ms Thomas is 1.7m tall, of fair complexion and of medium to heavy build. She has long brown hair. She wears two sets of earrings in each ear and is usually well presented.

Residents in the street where Ms Thomas has been living said last night that they believed she had been renting a self-contained unit.

No one answered the door when the Weekend Herald called there last night, but security guards were parked outside the property.

Neighbours said police had been there yesterday asking when they last saw Ms Thomas and her car.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: BECK VASS