Body found yesterday in New Plymouth missing teenager Nikolao Meafua

BREAKING NEWS: infonews.co.nz can confirm the body found by a member of public in New Plymouth yesterday was missing teenager Nikolao Meafua.

Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Borrell told infonews.co.nz at around 3pm that "the identity of the body had been confirmed through a post mortem."

Sixteen-year-old Nikolao, known as Niko, went missing from his Bell Block home on June 10 after an argument with his mother.

Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Borrell said it appeared the body could have been in the water for some time.

He said Niko's family has been notified and his death referred to the coroner.

A Facebook page RIP Nikolao Meafua has been created. The page got two hundred 'likes' within seconds. 

Today on Facebook Niko's cousin Sue Seko posted this message on the New Plymouth Buy and Sell page:

"On behalf of Niko's mother and my entire family, it is with a heavy heart that we let you all know that it was our precious and beautiful boy Niko that was found yesterday!! At this time we would just like to Thank you so much for your support and prayers and we thank you for the strength... We believe that it was all those prayers that bought our Niko back to us, it is not the way we wished he would come back but we are just glad we finally have him home!! We would like to thank you so much once again as we are at peace with now knowing that he is with our lord. Niko always wanted to be an angel and now he finally is...."

A reporter for infonews.co.nz in New Plymouth said that his Facebook page is filled with heartfelt statuses. 

This is breaking news, more to follow...