Police assessing information
KINGSTON
POLICE are assessing information received from the public in the 24 hours since a $100,000 reward was announced in relation to the disappearance of Southland toddler AmberLee Cruickshank.
They are encouraging anyone else with information to contact them as soon as possible.
The then 2yearold was last seen on October 17, 1992, in Kingston, at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu.
The toddler vanished after spending an afternoon with her family and friends near the lake and despite exhaustive land and water searches there has been no sign of her in almost three decades.
Police announced this week they would pay up to $100,000 for material information or evidence which led to the identity and conviction of any person or people responsible for AmberLee’s disappearance.
They would consider immunity from prosecution for any accomplice who provided information or evidence to police as long as they were not the main offender.
Since the reward went live at 10am on Tuesday, a number of people have contacted police.
All information will be assessed by police to see whether it can be investigated further and move the case forward.
Police said they would be speaking to those people in the days ahead about the information they provided.
AmberLee’s mother, Nicola Cruickshank, said she felt the reward was her last resort.
‘‘Twentynine years of not knowing what happened to our beloved AmberLee has been 29 years of pain, anger, frustration and torment — with endless searching and praying for this nightmare to end.
‘‘To have answers, to have closure, to have AmberLee come home — that’s all we want.
‘‘And now we are living in hope, praying that this reward will be enough to entice whoever holds the key to the truth of AmberLee’s disappearance and her whereabouts to come forward — whether she has passed, or is alive.’’
She had never given up hope her little girl would be found, she said.
‘‘We have done everything possible and within our power to find the answers. I feel this reward is our last resort.’’
She appealed to anyone information to come forward.
Detective Inspector Stu Harvey, of Invercargill, also hopes someone will finally come forward.
‘‘While we don’t know where she is or what happened, we believe she may have been the victim of foul play,’’ he said.
‘‘There is someone out there who holds the key to the truth.’’
Over the years police had conducted a significant number of inquiries into AmberLee’s disappearance, he said.
‘‘We have gone to great lengths to explore different scenarios and investigation leads without success,’’ he said.
‘‘Her mother and family members have been left to worry and angst about what happened to this very young child for far too long.
‘‘We want to bring them answers and closure.’’
If you have information, contact police on 105 and cite Operation Oliver. — The New Zealand Herald
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