A line of police officers and volunteer searchers have been scouring bushland opposite the racecourse as the search for the missing five-year-old girl entered its fifth day. Police have confirmed that a body, believed to be that of the missing child, was discovered by search and rescue teams on Thursday, approximately 5 kilometres from where she was last seen alive.
Tragic Discovery Confirmed
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole addressed reporters in Alice Springs, stating that the body was found just before midday local time. The family has requested the child be referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby, in accordance with cultural protocols. Commissioner Dole expressed deep distress over the development, noting that the family has been formally notified and that a postmortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
“The body was found about 5km south of the crime scene at Old Timers camp. This is an incredibly distressing development. The family have been formally notified and our thoughts are firmly with them at this devastating time,” Commissioner Dole said. He emphasised that the criminal investigation remains ongoing and a coronial process is about to begin.
Search Efforts and Community Involvement
Kumanjayi Little Baby was last seen by her mother at 11.30pm on Saturday. Shortly before her disappearance, she was seen holding hands with 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis. An arrest order was issued for Lewis on Sunday, and police have since recovered items of clothing believed to be linked to the case. Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley stated that locating Lewis is the top priority of the investigation.
“The focus right now is to locate Jefferson Lewis. It is our sole job in this investigation right now,” Malley told reporters. He expressed concerns that someone in the community may be assisting Lewis or concealing his location, as Lewis has no digital footprint, making him difficult to track.
The community has rallied together in the search effort, with hundreds of volunteers and NT police covering 6 square kilometres on foot and the remainder of the 20 square kilometre search area by helicopter and drones. Over 170 volunteers assembled on Thursday morning alone. Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation coordinated the community response, providing support for the family. CEO Walter Shaw expressed pride in the efforts of staff and volunteers, stating, “Societies are judged by the support they give to their most vulnerable, and who is more vulnerable than a child?”
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, also joined the search and expressed gratitude for the community’s unity. “Like everyone, we want to be able to find this beautiful little girl,” McCarthy said.
Ongoing Investigation
The criminal investigation is continuing, and a postmortem examination is expected to take place on Friday. Police have reiterated their call for anyone with information on Lewis’s whereabouts to come forward. Support services are available for those affected, including Griefline and Lifeline.
