Rebecca Templeman told a jury of six men and six women about her frantic search for her daughter on the night of Saturday November 1, 2008, after the 15-year-old failed to respond to text messages.
A 16-year-old boy, who has name suppression, has been charged with murdering the promising drama student by hitting her, strangling her and leaving her face down in a stream to drown.
He was 14 at the time of the alleged attack.
The boy also faces a charge of indecent assault involving allegations that he pulled away Liberty's clothing to make her death appear as if she had been raped.
Mrs Templeman told the court she phoned the accused boy on the night she was unable to track down her daughter.
She said she had contacted Liberty's friends and found out from them that the last person her daughter had been seen with was the accused.
She said she called him again the next morning because she could not understand a half hour time gap from when the boy said he left Liberty near Kerikeri High School and when he said he received a phone call from someone else.
Mrs Templeman spoke fondly of her daughter, often smiling at memories of their close relationship as she recalled her daughter's final months.
Liberty, or Libby as she was known, had been looking forward to a new life in Auckland after the family moved there from Kerikeri just weeks before she disappeared, her mother said.
Liberty's father, Andrew Templeman will also give evidence today.
A total of 40 witnesses are expected to be called in the course of the trial, which is set down for at least two weeks.