Warning: this article may be distressing to some readers.
Northern Territory Police believe the man they suspect of abducting Alice Springs girl Sharon Granites is being assisted to evade capture, as the search for the five-year-old enters a critical phase.
Investigators say 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who vanished at the same time as Sharon, may be receiving help from members of the community, prompting a direct appeal for information as authorities expand their efforts across the Northern Territory and interstate.
Intelligence from Western Australian and New South Wales authorities has been shared with Territory police, while forensic testing is underway on items seized from a crime scene near the Old Timers Camp, where Sharon was last seen.
Search crews continue to comb difficult terrain surrounding Alice Springs, with more than 100 personnel covering extensive ground on foot and by vehicle as police maintain hope the young girl is still alive.
“Our hearts, like most Australians, are really with the families of Alice Springs right now,” Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said during a visit to the search base.
Police Commissioner Martin Dole said officers were working urgently to locate Mr Lewis and urged anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to come forward.
“Police are working urgently to locate Jefferson Lewis. Let me be clear about one thing in relation to that: we believe that there are members of the community that absolutely know where Jefferson Lewis is,” he said.
“What I want to say to you is, tell us. Tell us what you know. Tell us where he is. Tell us how to contact him.
"If you are withholding information because you are frightened, please have confidence that we will treat that information sensitively.”
He said the focus remained on finding Sharon and supporting her family.
“We feel deeply for them. This is an incredibly distressing time, and our thoughts are very much with them,” he said.
“Our priority and immediate focus is to find Sharon. To that end, we are imploring the entire community, anybody who may have information, no matter how small, that could help us locate Sharon, to contact police on 131 444.”
Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley, who is leading the investigation, said detectives had established a crime scene behind the Old Timers Camp and that several key items were now undergoing forensic analysis in Darwin.
“We seized a number of items from that crime scene, being a doona and doona cover, a shirt that Jefferson Lewis was wearing ... and a pair of child’s underwear from that location,” he said.
Police confirmed Mr Lewis was seen holding Sharon’s hand at about 11pm on Saturday. She was reported missing later that evening.
“The search on foot has been over five square kilometres … with vehicles over 80 square kilometres,” Mr Malley said.
“A lot of people searching — we had more than 100 this morning — so we covered a lot of ground.”
Despite the scale of the operation, he said investigators were keeping an open mind about Mr Lewis’s movements.
“We still believe he’s local … but we’re considering everything,” he said.
“She may have come to harm, but we believe she is still alive, and our number one priority is finding her.”
Mr Malley also described the toll on Sharon’s family, who are being supported by culturally informed officers.
“The family is going OK, we’re looking after them … but obviously it’s a parent’s worst nightmare,” he said.
“Sharon is a very affectionate little girl, loved by her family. It’s a horrible thing they’re going through.”
Minister McCarthy said the scale of the community response had been overwhelming, with hundreds of volunteers and local organisations contributing to the search.
“It’s quite overwhelming really. I’m deeply touched to see the effort that’s taking place here, as it should,” she said.
“It’s really beautiful when community can come together. Everyone.”
She also acknowledged the difficult conditions faced by those on the ground and the support provided by local businesses.
“It’s really tough terrain out there. It’s not easy country … and so for the businesses of Alice Springs to come together and support … just shows that everyone’s working together.”
Police continue to urge anyone with information to come forward.
