A year on from Christchurch woman Yanfei Bao’s disappearance, police are following up new leads as they continue to search for her in the hopes of returning her to her family.
Bao disappeared under suspicious circumstances on 19 July, 2023.
Following a police investigation, a then-52-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder.
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves said while there is currently a lot of work going on to prepare for the upcoming trial in October, police have not given up hope of finding Bao and are still pursuing avenues of enquiry.
A new investigative lead recently led police to re-establish search activity, both in a previously searched area and a newly identified area.
Recent searches saw police return to the Greenpark area, specifically MacArtneys, Davidsons and Hudsons roads.
While nothing new of note was found, Reeves said police will continue to follow up any information that might help pinpoint Bao’s location.
“We are determined to do everything we can to find Yanfei. We know her family are still hurting, and we know being able to recover her might offer them a small amount of peace,” Reeves said.
“While we can’t disclose information about our lead for operational reasons, we can say that new information led us back to some of the locations we have searched before,” she said.
Reeves said Bao’s family are always top of mind for the investigations team.
“I know I personally think about Yanfei every day and I want to find her, and so do the rest of the team. We are in touch with her family regularly and we know how much this would mean to them,” Reeves said.
Bao’s partner Paul Gooch said in a statement, “Our hearts are heavy as we reflect on the vibrant and radiant spirit of Yanfei. It has been incredibly challenging for our entire family to cope with the devastating loss of Yanfei; it has changed all our lives irreparably.”
“This has been especially heart-wrenching for her maternal relatives, who are struggling and feeling utterly shattered,” Gooch said.
“Despite facing challenging circumstances, Yanfei’s daughter has displayed incredible resilience. Her family, friends, and local school have rallied around her, providing substantial love and support, to help her maintain a sense of normalcy and stability in her life.”
“It’s truly inspiring to witness her ability to still find reasons to smile and be her authentic self in the midst of such adversity – a testament to her remarkable strength and bravery. Her mother would undoubtedly be deeply proud of her,” the statement said.
Bao’s China-based family said in a statement, “Yanfei has been away from us for a year now. As her family, we still find it difficult to accept this fact.”
“Since the incident occurred, we have been in immense grief, feeling helpless while being far away in our home country. We can only hope that the police will find Yanfei soon and bring peace to her soul,” the statement said.
“Thanks to the hard work and relentless efforts of the police, significant progress has been made in the case, which brings great comfort to our family. We sincerely thank the police for their dedication to Yanfei and their support for us,” Bao’s China-based family said.
The 53-year-old man charged with Bao’s murder is next due to appear in the Christchurch High Court on 23 August.
His trial is scheduled to begin on 24 October.
