In a tragedy that has devastated Australia, the body believed to be that of a missing five-year-old girl has been discovered in Central Australia. Police allege the young child was murdered and have issued a direct warning to their prime suspect: “We’re coming for you.”
The heartbreaking development comes as the little girl’s mother, who asked that her daughter be referred to as “Kumanjayi Little Baby,” shared an incredibly emotional letter written together with her son. The message has moved the entire community to tears.
“Me and Ramsiah miss and love you,” she wrote. “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. 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.”
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole confirmed the devastating news on Thursday afternoon, calling it the “worst possible outcome.”
“Just before midday today, police members of the search party located the body of a young Aboriginal girl,” he said. “The body was found about five kilometres south of the crime scene at Old Timers camp. This is an incredibly distressing development.”
Police said they are not yet able to confirm the cause of death or how long the child had been deceased. A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted as early as Friday. “That will be a critical step in establishing those facts,” Commissioner Dole said.
“The criminal investigation is ongoing and a coronial process will now also begin. This is devastating news not only for the immediate and extended family, but also the first responders, the Alice Springs community, and all those around Australia who have been worrying for this little girl.
“It is very important the Alice Springs community continues to support one another and it is equally important that the police continue to do their job. Anyone who has any information about the whereabouts of Jefferson Lewis needs to contact police immediately.”
The discovery marks the tragic end of a desperate five-day search across Central Australia after Kumanjayi Little Baby was reported missing from Old Timers Camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Police allege 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who was staying at the town camp, led the little girl away. Mr Lewis was released from prison just six days before she vanished. Over the past decade, he has been in and out of jail for offences including aggravated assaults, breaching domestic violence orders, bail and resisting police.
Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley, who is leading the investigation, said forensic testing had linked key evidence recovered from a nearby crime scene directly to their suspect.
“Of significance is the pair of child’s underwear,” he said. “We located two DNA profiles on the underwear. One is expected, belongs to the little girl, (Kumanjayi Little Baby), and the other belongs to Jefferson Lewis. So the focus right now is to locate Jefferson Lewis.”
Mr Malley also delivered a strong public message to anyone helping the suspect evade authorities: “So 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.”
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said “the hunt for justice is on.” After speaking directly with the child’s mother, she offered her sincerest and heartfelt condolences.
“Right now we are focused on a grieving family, a grieving town and a grieving Northern Territory. And as the police have said, we now focus our energy in making sure we find the person who did this and bring them to justice.”
The chief minister revealed that about 200 people had worked around the clock searching for the beautiful little girl. “For five days, every Territorian has had their heart in their throat, waiting for the moment when we got the announcement that she’d been found safe and well and that news did not come. It’s fair to say everyone is feeling this loss acutely. Everyone is incredibly devastated by the outcome.”
She thanked every volunteer who walked through the bush, the long grass and up the hills, as well as police and emergency services for their incredible efforts, now shifting focus to bringing the person responsible to justice.
The Northern Territory Police Association said they were “utterly heartbroken” by the little girl’s death and her family’s “unimaginable grief.” President Nathan Finn expressed concern for officers involved in the search.
“Your efforts were driven by hope and care and we share in the heartbreak of this devastating outcome. We know this outcome will have an impact on you all. Policing can be deeply confronting, and nothing weighs heavier than the death of a child. We thank you for your strength, your compassion, and your unwavering commitment to bringing (Kumanjayi Little Baby) home.”
The tragic discovery follows an intense search that began after the non-verbal five-year-old, who communicated using hand signals, went missing. A witness claimed to have seen Mr Lewis holding hands with Kumanjayi Little Baby at around 11pm on Saturday. Shortly after, a family member reported seeing her inside a house in the camp. At about 11.30pm her family noticed she was missing, and police were contacted at 1.35am.
A crime scene was quickly established in the dry Todd River bed behind the town camp, where officers seized a yellow adult t-shirt, a doona and a pair of children’s underwear.
Police believe Mr Lewis, from Lajamanu, may still be in Alice Springs, but have not ruled out that he received help to leave the area or the Territory. He has links to Yuendumu in the NT and Balgo in Western Australia. Officers have sought assistance from WA Police.
Investigators are also examining whether he left in a stolen vehicle. Commissioner Dole said detectives are following every piece of information. He noted the complete absence of sightings or contact strongly suggests someone is helping Lewis.
The case has left deep scars across Alice Springs and the wider Northern Territory, raising painful questions about community safety, the effectiveness of the justice system in dealing with repeat violent offenders, and the vulnerability of young children in town camps. The mother’s poignant letter, with its simple yet devastating words about the difficulty of living without her daughter, has resonated powerfully with Australians who followed the search with heavy hearts.
As the criminal investigation and coronial process continue, the focus remains on locating Jefferson Lewis and delivering justice for little Kumanjayi Little Baby. Police continue to urge anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward immediately.
