An autopsy on a 17-year-old boy, whose body was found in a creek in Wainuiomata last night, shows he drowned.
The body of the teenager was found by his friends, about 8pm in a creek near Rata Street in Wainuiomata.
His friends, who were at a party with him in Wainuiomata on Saturday night, began searching for him after he did not turn up to work on Sunday, acting Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Harwood said.
He was last seen at the party about 4am on Sunday, Mr Harwood said.
The results of a post-mortem examination completed this afternoon showed the preliminary cause of death to be from drowning.
His death has now been referred to the coroner.
