http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22437715-2,00.html

Pumpkin\'s father named as New Zealand publisher
Fears Pumpkin\'s mother may have been murdered
Police manhunt for Naiyin Xun Xue underway


A MANHUNT is under way in the United States for the father who abandoned toddler Qian Xun Xue - the little girl dubbed Pumpkin.

Authorities in three countries – Australia, New Zealand the US – are trying to piece together the bizarre case of the dumped girl.

The Herald Sun has learned Naiyin Xun Xue, the director of New Zealand newspaper Chinese Times and a martial arts expert, bought a plane ticket to Los Angeles on Friday before leaving his daughter at Melbourne\'s Southern Cross station on Saturday.

Mr Xue, who is aged in his 40s and also known by his English name Michael, lived with his daughter, who turns four in December, and his wife Anni in Auckland.

The three-year-old\'s mother has not contacted police and could not be found by investigators yesterday.

Fears were mounting last night for her welfare. Police have not ruled out any possibility, including murder.

The family has been investigated by New Zealand\'s child protection service in the past. It\'s believed Mr Xue has convictions for domestic violence.

Mr Xue arrived in Melbourne at 7.45pm on Thursday and headed for a CBD hotel with his daughter.

They travelled on New Zealand passports.

They stayed for two days but little is known about what they did or who they met. The Herald Sun has been told Mr Xue is originally from Hong Kong and has been suffering depression from business and personal problems.

He had only packed a small suitcase, leaving Pumpkin at the station in Spencer St with no change of clothing and nothing to identify her.

Police say Mr Xue left the station about 8am on Saturday and went to the airport where he caught a flight to Los Angeles, via Auckland.

They believe he deliberately abandoned his daughter.

Interpol is also involved in the manhunt for Mr Xue.

Pumpkin was named after the Pumpkin Patch vest she was wearing, but the Herald Sun has confirmed her real name from several sources.

She is in temporary care and officials say she has settled in well, can understand some English and has asked for her mum.

One police theory is that she has relatives in Australia and the father hoped someone would come forward to claim her.

Inspector Brad Shallies said it was one of the most intriguing cases he had been involved in.

We have not dismissed they may know people in Melbourne. It\'s logical to think it\'s likely they know people here, he said.

Insp Shallies said calls to Crime Stoppers from people who had seen the pair at the station and on the flight from Auckland had helped police identify the man and girl.

He said there were many reasons why the child may have been abandoned.

At the moment there are probably 50 or 60 scenarios, but I don\'t know yet if anybody else was meant to be there (to meet Pumpkin) or whether they met with any other people in Melbourne.

A friend, Nai Quan Xie, said he hadn\'t heard from Mr Xue or his wife since last Tuesday.

He had tried phoning the pair frequently but got no answer.

He usually talked to Mr Xue most days as he taught him Wu Style, a Chinese martial art. Mr Xue describes himself as a grand master of the martial art.

Pumpkin has settled in with the Melbourne family caring for her, but had been distressed.

Department of Human Services spokeswoman Christina Asquini said she was coping well, watching children\'s DVDs with her carer\'s children, but had also called out for her mother.

She said Pumpkin could understand English.

She was laughing at what was happening on the DVDs, which seems to say she has some comprehension of English. She has been speaking some English, predominantly asking for her mother.

Welfare workers are unaware if she speaks any other languages.

The station\'s authorities believed she was able to identify a man on the security camera as a relative.

Pumpkin aimlessly wandered around the station for 15 minutes after the man left her on a platform at the bottom of an escalator.

Security footage from Southern Cross railway station shows the girl hand-in-hand with a man pulling a suitcase before he leaves her behind.

Anyone who can help identify Pumpkin is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.