The desperate search for a New Zealand woman has ended in tragedy, with the 26-year-old found dead two days after she was last seen.
Monica Reid was last seen wearing a purple or pink puffer jacket in the Auckland inlet suburb of Te Atatū last Friday.
She was reported missing as police expressed ‘concerns for her welfare’.
Family members, including Ms Reid’s sister Cecilia who flew home from Australia to meet up with her two brothers from Wellington and Hamilton, banded together to scour the city.
Her body was found on Sunday, with her aunt Rowena Yalland confirming her death in a Facebook post.
Monica Reid, 26, who was reported missing on Friday was found dead on Sunday
‘Monica was found deceased this afternoon,’ the post read.
‘Many thanks for sharing and your concern.
‘Hold your precious ones near.’
Ms Reid worked at the New Zealand Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi and was studying urban planning.
Her boyfriend Shivneel Singh popped the question earlier this year and were planning to buy a house.
Francis Reid thanked police and their search units while paying tribute to his ‘baby’ sister.
‘The efficiency, the thoroughness of their search and their communication through that process and what to expect was sensitive and unbelievably amazing,’ he told Stuff.
Ms Reid (pictured left) was engaged to Shivneel Singh and the pair were looking to buy a house together
‘I want to remember Mon as a bubbly, gentle soul who has a deep sense of empathy for people, animals and the world,’ Mr Reid said saying his sister wanted to make the world a ‘better place’.
‘I miss everything about her and I wish we could all have done more for her.
‘She had a great belly laugh, and deeply cared about you, and that was unique to her.’
He also described Monica as a ray of sunshine and sensitive soul who always put others before herself.
After studying at Wellington’s Victoria University, Ms Reid moved to Auckland with boyfriend Mr Singh.
The couple were engaged in January and began looking to buy a house.
‘We were delighted for Mon she was getting married,’ Mr Reid said.
He added that his parents Nicholas and Gabrielle and his six other siblings ‘love Shiv to bits’.
‘He is a great guy; his family are wonderful people too,’ Mr Reid said.
‘The sadness is we have got to know them far better in the last three days.
Francis Reid (pictured) described his sister Monica bubbly and very caring person with a memorable laugh
Mr Reid said the family knew his sister had mental health battles.
‘She never let the mask slip,’ he said.
‘You Google her and see how beautiful and smart she is but she has this tragic end. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.’
He urged families with mental health challenges to always seek the help when they need it and not regard it as a ‘weakness’ or think that it reflects a ‘lack of love’.
‘Monica knew she was loved,’ Mr Reid said.