dailyloe.com – Northern Territory police are investigating the disappearance of a five-year-old Aboriginal girl, last seen in Alice Springs. She was reported missing late Saturday night, with police believing she was led away by a 47-year-old man, Jefferson Lewis, who was seen holding her hand.
Police issued an arrest order for Lewis, who had recently been released from prison, after interviewing individuals from the Alice Springs town camp where the girl was last seen. According to NT police assistant commissioner Peter Malley, there have been no confirmed sightings of either the girl or Lewis since Saturday night.
Malley stated, “He was last seen with a little girl holding hands at around about 11 o’clock at night.” The girl’s mother reported her missing at 1:35 AM on Sunday after she noticed her daughter was gone. The mother was washing clothes when Sharon was last seen in her bed at 11:30 PM.
Police believe Lewis had been drinking, along with others at the residence, and they suspect he may have abducted the girl. Malley commented, “We believe Jefferson Lewis has moved the little girl away to that crime scene that we have taped off.” He added that the abduction likely occurred under the influence of alcohol.
Malley expressed concern for Sharon’s safety, stating, “We do [believe she is alive] and that’s why at this stage our number-one mission is to find her safe and well.” However, he acknowledged that as time passes, the likelihood of finding her alive diminishes.
Sharon was last seen wearing a dark blue short-sleeve T-shirt with a white stripe and black boxers-style underwear. The search for her continues, with police deploying extensive resources in Alice Springs.
