Outback search for missing girl ends in tragedy
Police have found the body of a five-year-old girl after a massive outback search, confirming fears a suspected abduction ended in tragedy. A prominent politician saying the girl is a relative.
Northern Territory Police have confirmed the “incredibly distressing” discovery of a body, believed to be that of missing five-year-old the family calls Kumanjayi Little Baby.
The little girl vanished from her home near Alice Springs on Saturday night.
She is alleged to have been taken by 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis from Old Timers town camp near Alice Springs just six days after he was released from prison.
She was last seen holding hands with Lewis late on Saturday, with police confirming on Wednesday they believed he had led her from the camp.
Earlier, Coalition frontbencher Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price confirmed Sharon was her niece. She said the little girl’s family and the local community were shattered.
“That’s incredibly frightening and very disturbing for the family as well,” Price told Sky News.
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She repeated police appeals for anyone who knew where Lewis was to contact authorities.
“There is concern that there are people that do know the whereabouts of Jefferson Lewis,” she said.
“Someone like that can’t just disappear into thin air.”
On Thursday afternoon, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said a child’s body had been found about five kilometres from the camp.
“This is an incredibly distressing development,” he said.
“Sharon’s family have been formally notified and our thoughts are firmly with them at this devastating time.”
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He said an autopsy, likely conducted on Friday, would be necessary to confirm how the little girl died, and when.
The grim discovery followed days of searching by locals, police officers, defence force members and Aboriginal trackers in tough desert terrain for Sharon and her alleged abductor.
“The support shown during this time has been overwhelming and this is the worst possible outcome,” Dole said.
“It is very important the Alice Springs community continues to support one another. It is equally important the police be allowed to do their job.”
Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said two DNA profiles had been found on underwear found at a crime scene near the town camp earlier this week. They had been identified as belonging to Sharon and Lewis.
“The focus right now is to locate Jefferson Lewis. That is the sole job in our investigation right now,” he said.
“We believe he’s murdered this child. I say to his family, do not assist him. Get him to the police station and we will look after him. I say to Jefferson Lewis – we are coming for you.”
Sharon’s grandfather Robin had told The Sydney Morning Herald the family was praying for her safe return, and appealed for Australians to keep their missing child in their hearts.
“There was nothing I could do – just cry,” he said. “She was a really nice, little, good, quiet girl.”
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