18-month-old Indian toddler Anna Sangha's body found in New Zealand

North Island (New Zealand), June 7 (ANI): New Zealand Police are now investigating a double homicide after the discovery of 18-month-old Anna Sangha's body in a Tauranga house in the suburb of Otumoetai.

Anna is believed to be the daughter of a 32-year-old Indian woman, whose body was found in the same house on Sunday.

Western Bay of Plenty Area Commander, Inspector Mike Clement, said that the police had conducted an extensive search of the area, and were hoping to find the baby alive.

"The house was initially searched, mindful of preserving the integrity of the evidence in the crime scene. The body of the young child was concealed and was found during a detailed search of the house," The New Zealand Herald quoted Inspector Clement, as saying.

"This is a tragic outcome, and one that I think we were all hoping might turn out differently. Until circumstances determined otherwise, it was appropriate that a wider search was undertaken," he added.

He further said that both the bodies are yet to be formally identified.

Earlier, a 23-year-old Indian man was charged with the woman's murder, and he appeared in Counties Manukau District Court on Monday afternoon.

He was granted interim name suppression and remanded to reappear in Tauranga District Court on Thursday, when further charges are likely to be laid. (ANI)