A private investigator hired by the mother of drowned schoolgirl Chong Liu has been checking circumstances surrounding her death as police conduct their own review of the case.
Chong's mother, Li-Li Li, is applying for a second extension to her visitor's permit as it now appears police will notrelease their findings until next year.
Twelve-year-old Chong disappeared from a park near her home on May 11, sparking a major police search of the Mt Roskill area.
More than two weeks later, her clothed body was found on the beach at Pollok on the Awhitu Peninsula, 20km south of the Manukau Harbour bay nearest her home. A pathologist gave the cause of death as drowning, and police said there were no injuries.
Detectives left the case open, but Ms Li and members of the Chinese community petitioned police to review the case in the belief that foul play was involved.
The Herald understands the review has not uncovered any new information or police wrongdoing, and the case will be handed to a coroner. The file will be left open in case new information surfaces.
Ms Li arrived in New Zealand from China in July determined to prove that the death was no accident. She feels certain somebody pushed her only daughter into the harbour, as Chong was terrified of water and would not have gone near the sea alone.
A friend of Ms Li, Tommy Tay, said her visitor's permit would expire on Sunday and she was applying for a new one. She had engaged a lawyer from Hong Kong, who had hired a private investigator to study the case.
A police spokesman said the results of forensic tests were expected soon and a report would be made early in the New Year.
