Northern Territory police have charged Jefferson Lewis with murder over the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby.
The Warlpiri girl went missing on Saturday, 25 April, from her bed in a town camp near Alice Springs.
Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother last saw her at 11.30pm, tucked into bed at the Old Timers or Ilyperenye town camp, police said. When she went to check on her at 1.30am, she was gone.
Hundreds of volunteers carried out a desperate search but after five days, her body was found.
On Sunday, NT police announced Lewis, 47, had been charged with murdering Kumanjayi Little Baby, the name used after her death at her family’s request in line with cultural protocols.
He was remanded in custody of an expected appearance in Darwin local court on Tuesday.
Lewis, 47, was unconscious when he was apprehended by officers on Thursday after being “subject to a sustained attack”, police said on Friday.
Lewis was taken to a hospital in Alice Springs, where an angry crowd clashed with police.
Police used tear gas on the crowd after objects were thrown at them and police vehicles and bins set on fire.
Lewis was transported to Darwin because of “safety concerns”, police said.
The NT police commissioner, Martin Dole, said detectives worked around the clock on what he described as an extensive and complex investigation.
“Our thoughts are firmly with [the] family, loved ones and the wider community that have been deeply impacted by these events,” he told reporters.
Police urged the public to respect the legal process, admitting the case had shaken the community.
“It’s deeply distressing, not only for the family, but for the wider community,” the commissioner said.
“This is a horrific event and a horrific set of circumstances.”
Police are also investigating looting and violence that erupted after the arrest, including attacks on emergency services and extensive damage to local businesses.
Officers have released footage showing people breaking into shops and stealing stock.
“What you will see is criminal behaviour, plain and simple,” Dole said.
“It’s abhorrent, it’s disgusting and it will not be tolerated or accepted by the Northern Territory police – and it should not be accepted by the community.”
Two people have handed themselves in and several others have been arrested, with more charges expected as investigators review hundreds of hours of footage.
Officers are also looking for people they believe assisted Lewis before his arrest.
Community elders and the girl’s family have called for calm and urged people to let the courts deal with both the alleged murder and the unrest.
Authorities imposed temporary takeaway alcohol restrictions in an effort to prevent further violence, and police say they will maintain a strong presence in Alice Springs and surrounding communities in coming days.
