Outback manhunt deepens after child’s body found
Warning: This article contains references to a person who has died. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised.
Northern Territory Police have located what they believe to be the body of Kumanjayi Little Baby, a five-year-old Aboriginal girl who vanished from an Outback camp near Alice Springs last Saturday, as the search for her alleged killer enters its sixth day.
The child was last seen after being put to bed just before midnight at Old Timers Camp, a government-designated site for Aboriginal people in Alice Springs. Police announced Thursday that a child’s body had been found in the area, with forensic examination now underway to establish identity and cause of death.
Jefferson Lewis, 47, is the prime suspect. He had walked out of prison just six days before the girl disappeared and was spotted holding her hand on the night she went missing. DNA testing of children’s underwear recovered near the camp linked both the child and Lewis to the garment, evidence that investigators say points directly to him.
“We believed he has murdered this child,” said Peter Malley, the investigation’s lead detective. “I say to Jefferson Lewis: we’re coming for you.”
Lewis, reported by local media to be a distant relative of the girl, had a long history of domestic and family violence offences. Tracking him has proven difficult; he owns no phone, no bank account, and no vehicle, leaving almost no digital trail. Police believe he is being sheltered by others and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
“We’re knocking on doors, we’re going through houses. It’s going back to 1930s policing,” Malley said.
The search drew roughly 200 people, officers and volunteers alike, who scoured surrounding bush and desert terrain for days. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro described the toll the case had taken on the region. “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… Everyone is incredibly devastated.”
NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole was equally blunt: “This is the worst possible outcome.”
The girl’s mother, who has not been named, paid tribute to her daughter in a written statement. “It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you,” she wrote. “We know you are in heaven with the rest of the family and Jesus. Me and your brother will meet you one day.” She also extended her gratitude to all those who joined the search.
In accordance with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols around mourning, the names, images, and voices of deceased persons are not used without the permission of their families.
Source: BBC
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