A 60-year-old Christchurch man has been charged in connection with the disappearance and subsequent death of 21-year-old father Braydon Hepworth, whose body was discovered at a Hereford Street property on Thursday.

Detective Inspector Scott Anderson said the man was facing charges relating to the concealment of Hepworth’s body and making a false statement.

He is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court this morning.

The charges follow an extensive police investigation into Hepworth’s disappearance, which began after he was last seen at the Z Energy service station in Linwood on 3 September.

His disappearance prompted repeated public appeals from his family, including his mother, Char Huntley, who previously told chrislynchmedia.com she was desperate for answers.

Huntley said her son had Type 1 diabetes and required daily insulin. She also revealed there had been no activity on his phone or bank account since he disappeared.

“I’m so scared for him. The more hours that go by, the more my heart breaks,” she said.

Hepworth was also the father of a young daughter.

On 2 October, police launched a significant forensic examination at a property on England Street in Linwood, believed to have been his last known address.

Specialist search teams examined the property over several days before police confirmed the examination had been completed.

On Thursday, investigators executed further search warrants across Linwood and Edgeware before discovering a body at a residential address on Hereford Street.

Anderson said the discovery was devastating for Hepworth’s family.

“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, there is a small comfort in being able to bring him home.”

Anderson previously described the investigation as complex, with further enquiries and evidence requiring examination.

Police have not announced a cause of death or confirmed whether they are treating Hepworth’s death as a homicide.

The latest charges relate to the concealment of his body and making a false statement.

Anderson said police were unable to comment further because the matter was now before the courts.