As stated by Detective Senior Sergeant Kevan Verry:
Police have serious concerns for the welfare of 10-year-old Lily and 8-year-old Pearl, and are asking for the public's help to locate them.
The children were taken in breach of a parenting order on 24 December, and the last sighting of them was at 11pm on Monday, at a South Auckland service station.
The car in which they were travelling was sighted again about 9.40am on Tuesday 3 January, this time in Devon Street, New Plymouth.
The vehicle is a silver 1994 Toyota Camry, registration CLR45.
A woman wanted in relation with their disappearance was found alone and arrested in Wellington about 9.45pm on Tuesday.
She has refused to say where the children are, and Police spent time following her arrest searching vehicles parked in central Wellington.
Pearl and Lily were not located, and we now believe the children may be staying anywhere between Auckland and Wellington.
The woman has been meeting people through Facebook in the time we have been looking for her and the children, and it is possible she has left Pearl and Lily with one of these people. We believe these contacts may have been misled or are unaware of the true circumstances in this case, or the serious concerns that are held for the children's welfare.
Police are urgently seeking any sightings of the girls, or the Toyota Camry. Anyone with information is asked to call 111 and quote the file number 221224/4977.
Our focus is on locating Lily and Pearl safe and well. We urge anyone with information to come forward immediately, including anyone who may be looking after them.
The woman will appear in the Wellington District Court on Wednesday, 4 January, charged with breaching a parenting order.
