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NOTICE: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article includes a photo of a deceased individual.
This afternoon, a heart-wrenching statement was released by the grieving mother and brother of a young child who passed away, expressing their profound sorrow.
“To our beloved Kumanjayi Little Baby, both Ramsiah and I are filled with love and longing for you,” the statement began.
“I am comforted knowing you are in heaven, surrounded by our family, under the care of Jesus and the Holy Trinity.”
“Your brother and I look forward to the day we reunite with you, as we dedicate our lives to Jesus,” they continued.
“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.”
Police said Jefferson Lewis, the man who police suspect abducted the young girl over the weekend, has not been found.
”The focus right now is to Jefferson Lewis, it is our sole job in this investigation right now,” Northern Territory Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Malley 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.”
Police Commissioner Martin Dole said the discovery of the girl’s body was the “worst possible outcome”.
“This is an incredibly distressing development,” he said.
Dole said her family has been formally notified by police.
He said officers were not in a position today to provide answers around the cause of the girl’s death or how long she may have been dead.
“A post-mortem examination will be conducted, likely tomorrow, and that will be a critical step in establishing those facts.
“The criminal investigation is ongoing and a coronial inquest will now also begin.
“As a result, there will now be limitations on what we can say publicly.”
Dole described the news as “devastating” for the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby, first responders, the Alice Springs community and everyone around Australia who has been worried about her.
“The support shown during the time has been overwhelming.”
Yesterday, police revealed they had found clothing on the riverbank near Old Timers Camp during their search.
Malley said the items had been taken to Darwin for analysis.
“Of significance is the pair of child’s underwear,” he said.
“We located two DNA profiles [on clothing]… one, as expected, belongs to the little girl and the other belongs to Jefferson Lewis.”
‘Dark days like this rock everyone’
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro spoke with the five-year-old’s mother to offer her “sincerest and heartfelt condolences” over the phone today.
“Right now we are focused on a grieving family, a grieving town and a grieving Northern Territory,” she said.
“As our police have said, we now focus our energy in making sure we find the person who did this and bring them to justice.”
Finocchiaro took the opportunity to thank the volunteers who assisted with search efforts.
“Around 200 people have worked tirelessly around the clock in searching for this beautiful little girl who went missing five days ago,” she said.
“For five days, every Territorian has had their heart in their throat waiting for the moment waiting for the moment when we got the announcement that she had been found safe and well.
“That news did not come and it’s fair to say that everyone is feeling this loss acutely, everyone is incredibly devastated by the outcome.
“Our hearts are all with people grieving this loss and my thanks go to every single person who volunteered to walk through the bush, to walk through the long grass, to walk up the hills, to do everything that they could to find her.
“To our police and emergency services who’ve done an incredible job and now focus their energy on bringing the person who did this to justice.
“I thank everyone and I ask the Alice Springs community to really rally around each other at this devastating time.
“As a mother, as a member of our community, dark days like this rock everyone and the heartbreak of this is real.
“I’ve also spoken to our colleague Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who is the aunty of Kumanjayi Little Baby.
“Over the days and weeks, we stick together as Territorians, like we always do.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone at this absolutely awful time.”
For 24/7 crisis support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).