A 19-year-old missing in Upper Hutt has been found injured but safe after she went missing for more than 40 hours.
“She was located a short time ago in a remote area and is currently speaking with rescue staff,” police said this afternoon.
“Police’s priority is to now get her to medical staff so she can be assessed.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Upper Hutt community for the way they have rallied around search staff and the family.”
Johnston left a family address in Tōtara Park, a suburb on the northern side of the Hutt River, at around 8.30pm on Saturday to go for a walk and had not been seen until around 1.30pm on Monday.
Her mother Amy Walsh told 1News that Maia was found by police search and rescue in the dense bush behind Tōtara Park.
She has a broken leg, some broken ribs and other injuries, but is otherwise okay and “cracking jokes”, she said.
“The police officer that has gone up and seen her asked if I was Maia’s mum and, when I said yes, she goes ‘she wants an apple juice, apparently you’ve got some at your house and it’s really nice’.”
Walsh said she felt “absolute disbelief” when she heard Maia had been found.
“I didn’t believe she was alive still. That first night, there was so much rain, and it had just been too long.”
Earlier, police asked residents in the suburbs of Tōtara Park, Harcourt Park and Brown Owl to check their properties, including any outbuildings such as sheds or sleep outs to check whether she might have gone in there.
All of the tips were being assessed and followed up, if required, a police spokesperson said.
Previously, police also appealed for CCTV from anyone in the vicinity of Harcourt Park, Brown Owl and Tōtara Park for any sightings of Maia after 8.15pm on Saturday night.
