The death of a “kind-hearted” woman who had been living in her van in Northland remains a mystery more than three weeks on.

Bailey Magill, 36, was found dead in Waipapa River on May 22. Her car, a silver Toyota Estima, had been in a nearby car park at Cherry Park House for almost a week.

Magill’s dad Kevin Waterman said all the family knew was she’d been found in the river and toxicology reports were under way.

Waterman said his daughter had been a “pretty out there” person who periodically spent time living in her van, which her parents purchased for her in the hopes she’d leave Kerikeri for a “fresh start”.

Magill had been “a good sort”, Waterman said, with a talent for art and a passion for nature and the environment.

“She loved Kerikeri, she’d lived up here since she was about 10 or 11 and really loved people and life as well.”

Waterman last saw Magill a couple of weeks before her death when he went down to Kerikeri Library, where she had parked, to give her some mail.

“She had a bit of an on and off relationship with us, but I told her she should come round for her birthday for family dinner.”

Magill didn’t show up, Waterman said, so he and his wife sent her a text telling her they loved her.

“We didn’t hear from her for about a week but that wasn’t unusual. I expected her to rock up at the house one day – but it was the police who came instead.”

The officers in charge of the investigation into Magill’s death said inquiries were ongoing and Waterman said they hadn’t been able to tell the family anything more.

Waterman said the family had held a quiet cremation.

“She always said she wanted a Nordic funeral where you send your body out on a burning boat – we can’t quite do that but maybe we’ll put her ashes on a raft.”

Waterman said Magill’s van had been returned to them after being checked by police.

“The car was very clean and things were missing – bedding and clothes. I don’t know if she tidied it up or got rid of things or if someone else did.”

Penny Lawty, who handles bookings for Cherry Park House, said Magill’s van was there for about a week before her body was discovered.

“Vans often park up here so her car wasn’t anything unusual, but as days went on and the car remained we got worried.

“We decided if it was there one more day we’d report it to police, but someone else already had.”

Lawty said police contacted her husband asking for access to the house as a body had been found nearby in the river.

Magill had been a “vulnerable” person, Waterman said, who struggled with addiction.

“We did worry about her, she was quite a slight person and a female living and sleeping alone in her car.”

Waterman said there was a chance the family might never know what happened to Magill and he still felt “numb” and “shell-shocked”.

“Bailey will be sorely missed by all of us, she was kind-hearted. If anyone saw her or her van in the days before May 22, all I can say is call police and tell them.”

A police spokesperson said they were waiting on “formal results” before they could make a ruling on the cause of Magill’s death.

It currently was unexplained, but the spokesperson said anyone with information could get in touch with police on 105.

“We will provide a further update when we can.”