A mother has sparked an international manhunt after allegedly secretly leaving New Zealand with her 11-year-old son.
Police are calling for anyone with information about the whereabouts of 42-year-old Hamilton woman Lauren Smith to contact them.
Police believed Ms Smith left the country last week and were working with overseas law enforcement agencies to locate her and her son, Hamilton Detective Sergeant Terri Wilson said.
"This is obviously a stressful time for the father of the victim and police ask Ms Smith, and those close to her, to make contact with NZ Police as soon as possible in order to ensure her son is safe and to resolve this matter," she said.
She said police would like Ms Smith to return to New Zealand immediately.
But failing that, she called on Ms Smith to contact the local law enforcement agency where she was staying, so that her son's safe return to New Zealand can be arranged.
It is believed Ms Smith's actions were in violation of a court order.
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