By KELLY BLANCHARD and BEN FRASER in Murupara
There was a chilling silence on the banks of the Rangitaiki River at Murupara after the call came that the body of five-year-old Whaia Epiha had been found.
For her family and friends waiting calmly on the river's banks, it was the news they had dreaded.
Whaia's relatives had spent the past 16 hours hoping that she was hiding somewhere - too scared to come out in case she was in trouble.
The child, described as a "sweet little number", went missing on Sunday night.
She had been playing with a 10-year-old friend, affectionately known as Peter Boy. The pair had been playing on the banks of the Rangitaiki River where it flows past Evan's Park, just opposite Whaia's Pine Dr home.
Whaia's body was found 20m downstream from where she was last seen.
The little girl was reported missing by her family about 7pm on Sunday and police and family members immediately began searching for her.
The search resumed at first light yesterday.
The Rotorua police search and rescue team arrived at the river just before 11am and put out two jet skis and two jet boats.
Whaia's body was found 10 minutes later caught up in scrub in the river.
Although the river is a popular swimming hole, Whaia had never been there and her family said it was unusual that she had gone to play in the area.
Whaia lived in Murupara with her grandmother, Lois Sorenson. Her parents live in Auckland and she has a younger brother and sister.
Her koro (grandfather), Tai Epiha, spent all night Sunday and yesterday morning walking the shores of the river where Whaia was last seen.
He was carrying her favourite blanket in the hope she would need it to warm up when police found her. Instead, it was used to wrap up her lifeless body.
Mr Epiha, who described Whaia as a "sweet little number", said the family was doing their best to tautoko (support) Whaia's grandmother.
Her teacher at Murupara Primary School, who did not want to be named, described Whaia as a bright, happy little girl.
She said no doubt some kind of service for Whaia would be held when school resumed after the holidays.
Whaia's aunt, Darlene Sorenson, said the river did not have a pleasant history and had already claimed too many local children.
A Murupara mother, who did not want to be named, said she went to the riverside to offer support to the family, although she did not know them personally.
She said the river had very open access which made it hard to keep watch on wandering children.
The last fatality at the river was in 1998 when 10-year-old Kurt Anderson drowned.
Whaia's body is expected to be kept at her grandmother's home until her funeral later in the week.
Five-year-old's body found in river near Murupara
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