Police are returning the girl to her worried family. Photo / 123RF
Police are returning the girl to her worried family. Photo / 123RF
An 11-year-old reported missing from her home in Whangarei, and feared by her family to be in the company of a much older man she had been talking to on Facebook, has been found.
The girl's older sister said just after 11pm that they had just been told the girlwas in a police car and on her way home.
"Thanks to the power of Facebook and the wider NZ community, I received a phone call from a lady saying that she had spotted her but she ran off, so we informed the police and they searched the area," the sister said.
"Safe to say she will no longer be on social media of any sort until she is a lot older and will not be having a smartphone."
The girl had earlier disappeared while her mum was outside bringing in the washing about 3.30pm.
Police confirmed earlier today that the girl's disappearance had been reported to them and a spokeswoman said they were making inquiries in relation to the girl's whereabouts.
The sister said the girl had been talking to a man on the phone last night and quickly hung up and deleted her call history and contacts after her mother overheard the conversation.
After she went missing her mum checked the girl's Facebook account and found messages between her and an older man - who the family believe is aged 22 - dating back about two weeks.