Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Family's hope fading in search for autistic man Nigel Peterson

Ben Flood
Ben Flood
Reporter·Rotorua Daily Post·
20 Nov, 2017 02:34 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The search for 33-year-old autistic man Nigel Peterson continues after he went missing last week. Photo/Supplied

The search for 33-year-old autistic man Nigel Peterson continues after he went missing last week. Photo/Supplied

The family of missing autistic man Nigel Peterson say their "hope is fading badly" as the search continues.

He was seen jumping out of a car on Otonga Rd at 3pm on Friday, running towards Old Taupo Rd.

Nigel was living under 24-hour care and has never spent this much time alone.

His father, Chris Peterson, said today that he was worried about his son's condition, which could be deteriorating because he had been without his medication.

"Our hope is fading badly."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Nigel's family and a search party of 18 police officers and volunteers are exhausting all options and have widened the search area to outside Rotorua.

"We think he might have injured himself and has found himself trapped somewhere. He grew up on a farm and loves open spaces so we'll expand our search to those areas outside of the city as well," Chris said.

Constable John Fredericksen said police did not have any leads as to Nigel's whereabouts.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We urge all residents in Rotorua to check their backyards, sheds and any other hiding spots where he may have gone."

Fredericksen said he was surprised the 33-year-old hadn't "popped up" but hoped his instincts would kick in soon.

"He'll be feeling really hungry by now so hopefully he'll address that issue and come out in the open."

Fredericksen said search efforts would continue to intensify throughout the week.

Discover more

New Zealand

Weekend push to find Nigel

24 Nov 04:24 AM

"We will exhaust our resources as time goes by and will seek support from the Taupo and Tauranga police forces as we search across the wider Bay of Plenty region."

Fredericksen is asking anyone who has picked up a hitchhiker or seen someone looking for a ride since Friday to contact the Rotorua police.

"If he came in contact with the public he would definitely stand out so if anyone has noticed any odd behaviour they should report it straight away."

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Nigel, call 111 immediately.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

From ashes to action: Mitai Māori Village vows show will go on after fire

05 Nov 04:15 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

How a teen's passion for Māori wards led to shock win for mum

05 Nov 04:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Sweltering': Firefighter takes on City to Surf in 25kg kit – again

05 Nov 01:06 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

From ashes to action: Mitai Māori Village vows show will go on after fire
Rotorua Daily Post

From ashes to action: Mitai Māori Village vows show will go on after fire

About 50 firefighters battled for hours to stop the blaze spreading through the site.

05 Nov 04:15 AM
How a teen's passion for Māori wards led to shock win for mum
Rotorua Daily Post

How a teen's passion for Māori wards led to shock win for mum

05 Nov 04:00 AM
'Sweltering': Firefighter takes on City to Surf in 25kg kit – again
Rotorua Daily Post

'Sweltering': Firefighter takes on City to Surf in 25kg kit – again

05 Nov 01:06 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP