The baby's grandfather found large pools of dried blood in the lounge of the house. Drag marks could be seen running through the blood and over the front steps.
The distressed child, 18-month-old Rochelle Crewe, is believed to have been in her cot for five days-since Wednesday night.
Missing from the home are her father, Mr Harvey Crewe (about 35), and his wife, Jeanette Lenore (30).
Twenty farmers and 10 policemen searched the farm yesterday afternoon, but they found no sign of the missing couple. Another search will begin at day-break today.
Mrs Crewe's father, Mr L.W. Demler, described how, at 1 p.m. yesterday, he decided to visit the house to see if the telephone was working.
"I thought it was strange when people kept ringing them up and they were not there," Mr Demler said.
"I was outside the house when Rochelle must have heard me.
She started chattering-she must have done all her crying.
"I couldn't get anyone to answer the door, so I went in. There was one outside light and one inside light on.
"Rochelle was in her cot in her sunroom, where she always sleeps.
"There were dinner dishes on the table.
"There was blood on the carpet and on the chair," Mr Demler said.
"It must have been Wednesday night, as far as we can make out.
Thursday's newspaper and the milk for the eighteenth were still in the letterbox.
"The house was not in disorder. The car was in the garage.
"The three dogs were there. I live only down the road, but I didn't hear them bark. They couldn't have been fed."Mr Demler said he had not seen his son-in-law or daughter since Tuesday night.
He called a neighbour to the house, and after they found no sign of the couple, the neighbour called the police.
A district nurse came to treat Rochelle, who was suffering from a urine rash. She was being kept in the home of friends of the family in Pukekawa last night.
Senior detectives found heavy bloodstains on the carpet in the lounge and other stains below the front steps. There seemed to be no further sign of where the couple might have gone.
A police guard was being maintained on the house throughout the night.
QUIET COUPLE
Mr Demler described his son-in-law as a quiet man who managed the 360-acre sheep and cattle farm well. His daughter, a former teacher, met Mr Crewe, who came from Pahiatua, in Wanganui, where she used to teach.
The couple had been married about three years. Mr Demler said they kept very much to themselves.
Mrs Crewe was brought up on her father's property, which borders that of the missing couple.
Mr and Mrs Crewe's house is a modern brick one, surrounded by a tidy lawn and garden. Their car is a late model Hillman.
The nearest neighbour, who lives about 300 yards away, said Mr Crewe kept fairly much to himself. The neighbour did not see much of the couple.
The Crewes' bodies were dumped in the Waikato River.
Mrs Crewe's body was found in the river at "Devil's Elbow" on August 16, and her husband's body was found upriver on September 16.
Local farmer Arthur Allan Thomas was twice convicted of their murders, but he was later granted a Royal Pardon.