By Grace Atta, ABC
The little girl went missing from Old Timers town camp in Alice Springs and a body was found five kilometres away.
Photo: ABC / Will Green
Northern Territory Police say they have found a body believed to be that of a missing five-year-old Alice Springs girl.
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that this story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who may have died.
This story also contains content some readers may find distressing.
The girl, who the family has asked be referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby, went missing on Saturday night from a home in the Old Timers/ Ilyperenye Aboriginal town camp on the outskirts of the regional town.
NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole delivered the news of the “tragic update” at a press conference this afternoon, calling it “an incredibly distressing development”.
“Just before midday today, police members of the search party located the body of a young Aboriginal girl we believe to be five-year-old [Kumanjayi Little Baby],” he said.
“[Her] family has been formally notified and our thoughts are firmly with them at this devastating time.”
Police are still searching for a 47-year-old man named Jefferson Lewis, a recently released prisoner who was seen with the girl on Saturday night and who they believe abducted her.
The five-year-old girl was last seen at Old Timers town camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs.
Photo: ABC News / supplied
Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said the force’s “focus right now is to locate Jefferson Lewis”.
“It is our sole job in this investigation right now,” he said.
“I say to the family of Jefferson Lewis that we believe he’s murdered this child.
“Do not assist him; get him to the police station and we’ll look after him.
“And I say to Jefferson Lewis, we’re coming for you.”
Assistant Commissioner Malley also said the forensic results had come back on several items that were found at a crime scene at Old Timers town camp, including a doona cover, a yellow shirt which Mr Lewis was wearing on Saturday night, and a pair of child’s underwear.
“Of significance is the pair of child’s underwear,” he said.
“We located two DNA profiles on the underwear. One is expected to belong to the little girl, and the other belongs to Jeffersons Lewis.”
Police allege 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis has abducted Sharon Granites.
Photo: ABC/Supplied: NT Police Force
Assistant Commissioner Malley said at this stage of the investigation police were unable to provide answers around the cause of the little girl’s death or how long she may have been deceased.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted tomorrow.
Little girl’s family issues statement
NT Police executive director of cultural reform, Leanne Liddle, has appeared in front of media in Alice Springs this afternoon to read a statement written by Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family.
Here is the statement in full:
“To Kumanjayi Little Baby,
Me and [your brother] Ramsiah miss and love you.
I know you are in heaven with the rest of the family with Jesus, and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Me and your brother will meet you one day, we are giving our lives to Jesus.
It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you.
Ramsiah wants to tell you that when he sees you in heaven he is going to give you the biggest hug ever.
Love from Mum and Ramsiah.”
Alice Springs community ‘devastated’
Commissioner Dole said the girl’s death was “devastating news, not only for [her] family, but also the first responders, the Alice Springs community and all of those around Australia who have been worrying for [her]”.
“The support shown during this time has been overwhelming and this is the worst possible outcome,” he said.
“It is very important that [the] Alice Springs community continues to support one another and it’s equally important that police be allowed to do their job.”
Earlier today, police said the foot search for the missing girl had covered six square kilometres, with people from local businesses, Aboriginal corporations and community volunteers all pitching in.
Commissioner Dole said the search was one of the “biggest” he could recall, saying the resources poured into the investigation were on par with the 2001 search for Peter Falconio.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who said she had spoken with the girl’s mother, thanked the more than 200 people who had worked around the clock searching for the little girl over the past five days.
“And for five days every Territorian has had their heart in their throat waiting for the moment when we got the announcement that she had been found safe and well, and that news did not come,” she said.
“The heartbreak of this is real.”
Finocchiaro reiterated comments from the police, saying the focus now shifted to “making sure we find the person who did this and bring them to justice”.
She said a reward for finding Mr Lewis was a possibility.
“Absolutely everything is on the table for us as a government,” she said.
“We will throw every resource we have available at this, and we’ll be led by the police investigation.”
South Australian Senator Kerrynne Liddle said the girl’s death was a tragedy.
“All of Australia was hoping for different news, and this will touch so many people,” she said.
“My heart breaks for her family, her loved ones, and the entire community mourning her loss.
“This is a devastating time, and I know the pain runs deep.”
– ABC live coverage
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