Neighbour in court for 'touching' girl

A mother who went looking for her 5-year-old daughter was horrified to see her being allegedly touched indecently in a neighbour's house.

The young girl had been gone a short time when her mother went to look for her early on Sunday night.

Detective Sergeant John Deheer of the Auckland crime squad told the Herald police didn't know if the girl wandered away from the Mt Roskill property, which was well fenced, or had been taken.

Police have yet to interview her.

The girl had been away from her mother for only a "split second", Mr Deheer said.

"Mum has gone looking for her and found her inside the house. She's looked in the window and seen [her daughter]."

The mother was "pretty distraught" over the incident and was having difficulty talking about it.

Mr Deheer said the man was known to the family because they were neighbours. The mother took her daughter home and immediately called police.

A man in his 60s appeared yesterday in the Auckland District Court charged with abduction and one indecency charge.

He was remanded in custody.