Missing teenager was upset and fragile

Missing Wellington teenager Olivia Rutherford was fragile and upset before she disappeared, police say.

In a press conference this afternoon, Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Borrell said police had gleaned an insight into the missing Wellington 15-year-old's mood before she went missing on Friday.

"The info that we are getting is that she was upset and possibly a bit fragile," Mr Borrell said.

However, Mr Borrell said teenagers were sometimes emotional, making poor decisions and not wanting to be found.

Olivia, a St Mary's College pupil, has been missing since 6pm on Friday night, after leaving friends in Wellington's Manners St. She skipped school that day and met two friends about 4pm.

Her bag, including her wallet, was found on the City to Sea bridge near the waterfront by a member of the public on Saturday morning.

Mr Borrell said police were not specifically thinking that foul play was involved in Olivia's disappearance, but they were open to all possibilities.

There was nothing to indicate that Olivia had a history of being overly emotional or fragile. Mr Borrell said police were looking into the possibility that she was being sheltered by friends, and he appealed to anyone who might be helping her to come forward.

He would not say whether Olivia's bank accounts had been touched since she was reported missing.

Meanwhile, a phone call explaining Olivia's absence from school on Friday morning has confused her school principal.

St Mary's college principal Mary Cook said a phone message was left on the school's answering machine by a female adult saying Olivia, 15, would not be in to school that day as she was sick. The message was left before school started at 9am.

The woman was not Olivia's mother, Elizabeth Rutherford, and it was not clear who it might be, Mrs Cook said.

Police said they were following up on the phone message.

HARBOUR SEARCH


Police today searched Wellington Harbour for the missing teen because it is near where she was last seen.

A team of eight from the Police National Dive Squad searched an area near Queen's Wharf after earlier focusing beneath the wharf between Mac's Brewery and Te Papa.

Police said their search began around 9.30am, but they had found nothing by 5pm.

It had already covered the foreshore along Frank Kitts Park, including the lagoon, and Taranaki St wharf, Senior Sergeant John Bryant said.

"It's a process of elimination as part of the search of the immediate area where her belongings were located."

Divers had earlier reported excellent conditions for the search, and had been looking to about 10 metres out from the foreshore.

Police had spoken to a number of people, and said members of the public had provided information on possible sightings of Olivia.

There are fears for Olivia's safety and anyone with information is urged to come forward.
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FAMILY ANXIOUS

Olivia's tired and soft-spoken mother, Elizabeth Rutherford, appeared at a press conference at Wellington police station yesterday. She said it was the first time she knew of that Olivia, who usually kept her informed of her whereabouts, had wagged school.

"She's always really communicative. If she's staying late after school, she'll text me. She's a really good girl, she's a careful and organised sort of person."

Her daughter had been suffering from "the usual stresses", she said.

Olivia's friends had told Ms Rutherford that Olivia had said she might go home, or meet up with other people.

Her cellphone could not be traced because it was switched off or had run out of batteries.

Ms Rutherford had received some communication from Olivia since she was reported missing, which had led police to believe she was in a "distressed and vulnerable state".

Acting Senior Sergeant Corey Watts said police held serious concerns for Olivia's safety.

"It's an out-of-character disappearance and we believe she's in a distressed state and she's quite vulnerable."

About 10 police officers, a police maritime unit and 30 of Olivia's friends and family searched the waterfront area, and parks and reserves around the city and northern suburbs.

Limited CCTV footage available during the weekend had been reviewed but more would be accessible when the search resumed today. Police had lines of inquiry they were following, Mr Watts said.

Olivia was last seen wearing "skinny" blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a blue cardigan.

Ms Rutherford made a plea for anyone with information to come forward. "I love her and miss her and want her to come home ...We want her home."