Police are in a race against time to locate a missing five-year-old girl who they believe was taken from her bed three days ago by a recently released prisoner. Authorities, along with volunteers, are searching through tall grass near Sharon Granites’ residence in the Australian outback near Alice Springs. The Northern Territory (NT) Police suspect that the girl may have been abducted by 46-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who had been released from jail a week earlier and was staying at the same house as Sharon before her disappearance.
Clothing believed to belong to the ex-convict has been sent for forensic testing as part of the investigation to find Sharon, who has been missing since Saturday. Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley of the NT Police disclosed that there was a gathering at the camp when Sharon went missing. She was at home in bed while her mother was nearby doing laundry. An eyewitness reported seeing something suspicious at the time of the girl’s disappearance. Lewis was last seen with Sharon around 11 pm on Saturday, holding her hand and leading her away from the residence. Despite more than 48 hours passing since Sharon vanished, officials remain hopeful that she is still alive and are focused on finding her safe and sound.
Sharon was last seen wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a white stripe around the neck and sleeves, along with black boxer-style underwear. The motive behind the alleged abduction is still unclear, but Commissioner Malley mentioned that alcohol may have influenced Lewis’s actions. A significant search effort involving around 60 individuals, helicopters, drones, canine units, horses, motorcycles, and ATVs is underway to locate the missing child in the challenging terrain. The search area covers approximately 46 square kilometers by air and an additional 20 square kilometers on foot. Indigenous trackers, volunteers, and land councils are aiding in the search operation.
The search for Sharon has been challenging due to the dense buffel grass in the area, requiring a thorough and methodical approach. Police and emergency crews, along with volunteers, have covered extensive ground by air and on foot. Leanne Liddle, the NT Police executive director of cultural reform, highlighted the collaboration with Indigenous trackers and volunteers to support the search efforts.