A family who lived next to the property where the body of toddler Aisling Symes was found, say they moved out due to concerns about a drain manhole.
Aisling, two, was found last night inside a drain on Longburn Rd in Henderson, West Auckland, a week after she went missing.
The property where she was found was next to that of her late grandparents, where her mother had been working.
Sonya Carrington told NZPA she lived on an adjourning property for two years, but moved across the road because of concerns about the drain.
"The manhole would lift off and water would come pouring out in heavy rain," she said.
"We called the council and some councillors and it has been looked at, but it's never been fixed yet."
Ms Carrington said she had also wanted a fence between the properties repaired in case her children got over there.
One of the reasons she moved was due to fear of her young child falling down the manhole.
She had filmed how the drain reacted in times of heavy rain and the footage showed water rushing from the drain, under a garage and toward the creek at the back of Longburn Rd properties.
Ms Carrington said it was drizzling on the night Aisling went missing, rather than raining heavily.
One current tenant of the house Ms Carrington once lived in, Janice Neho, told NZPA the drain was "dodgy".
Longburn Rd was visited by dozens of mourners this morning as the awful news spread.
The house where Aisling's grandparents had lived was adorned with flowers, candles and several soft toys as people paid their respects.
NZPA