Children played with body for 11 days

Children in New Zealand spent 11 days playing with the remains of what they thought was a crocodile in a creek before a parent discovered that the body was human.

The children had picked up parts of the badly decomposed body in Stanmore Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, just north of Auckland.

Police are investigating whether the remains are those of Alanah Brough, 39, missing since January.



The children play for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders Rugby League Club. They found the skeleton during a gala day on July 25, said vice-chairman Merve Heka.

On Wednesday about 6pm, a parent followed his son after the under-9 team's practice to investigate the remains. It is believed he tried to fish them out with a broomstick.

"He pulled it [the skeleton] out and there was black hair on the back of its head still," Mr Heka said. "He dropped it ... He knew straight away it was human. Kids will play with anything they see." The police were then called.