Police are racing against the clock to find a missing five-year-old girl who they believe was snatched from her bed three days ago by a recently released prisoner. Officers and volunteers continue to scour through shoulder-high grasses near the home where Sharon Granites lives with her mother, not far from Alice Springs at Old Timers Camp in the Australian outback.
Abduction Suspect Identified
National Territory (NT) Police believe Sharon may have been abducted by 46-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who had been released from jail six days prior. He was also staying at the girl's home before she vanished and has not been seen since. Police have sent clothing believed to belong to the recently released inmate for forensic testing as part of their search for little Sharon, who has not been seen since Saturday.
Eyewitness Account
NT Police assistant commissioner Peter Malley said there was a “bit of a party” happening in the camp at the time of Sharon’s disappearance. She was at home in bed while her mother was doing washing nearby. It seems that was when her alleged abductor struck, with an eyewitness revealing they spotted something stomach-churning at the time Sharon vanished. According to police, Lewis was last seen "holding hands" with the little girl at about 11pm on Saturday, and they believe he then led her away from her home. The pair have not been seen since.
Police Believe Girl Is Still Alive
Speaking to the press on Tuesday (April 28), Assistant Commissioner Malley said that despite the girl being missing for more than 48 hours, officials believe she is still alive. “At this stage our number one mission is to find her safe and well,” he said, before adding: “But as you know, as time goes on, the chances of … finding her alive and well [are] reduced.” He explained that Sharon’s mother was at the camp doing washing and knew people there, so she was welcome in the area.
Description of Missing Child
Sharon was last seen wearing a dark blue short-sleeved T-shirt with a white ring stripe around the neck and the end of the sleeves, and a pair of black boxer-style underwear.
Suspect's Criminal History
Commissioner Malley said police were yet to determine a motive behind the alleged abduction, but he admitted that Lewis may have been intoxicated at the time. “There was alcohol being consumed at the camp at the time, and so he probably was under the influence of alcohol,” he said. Lewis was recently released from prison for a series of serious violent offences, including assault and domestic violence.
Extensive Search Efforts
An NT Police spokesman told News Corp's NewsWire service that around 60 people were taking part in the ground search on Tuesday, using helicopters, drones, the dog unit, horses, motorcycles, and ATVs to help find the child in any terrain. NT Police sergeant Matt Hall told the ABC that the search for Sharon had been slow-going due to the challenging environment. “It is a vast search area that we are looking at and going through methodically,” he told ABC Radio Darwin. “The area’s heavily overgrown with buffel grass, so in some areas it’s shoulder-to-shoulder search pattern through that area. So, it’s slow-going, but we will continue to push through.”
Police, emergency crews, and volunteers have so far searched about 46 square kilometres (just over 17 square miles) by helicopter, while officers and volunteers have scoured a further 20 square kilometres (7.7 square miles) on foot. Indigenous trackers have also been deployed to assist with the search, NT Police executive director of cultural reform Leanne Liddle told news.com.au. “We also have the assistance of the volunteers, we’ve also got the assistance of the land councils,” she said.
