Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family ‘relieved’ after charges laid, warns against politicisation
“Our little baby’s passing must not become a politician issue or an argument,” a family spokesperson has said.
Warlpiri Elder and family spokesperson Robin Japanangka Granites has asked that people of all backgrounds come together “in respecting this time of Sorry Business and mourning”. Source: SBS News / NITV News
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who has passed away.
This article may be distressing to some readers.
The family of a five-year-old girl allegedly murdered in Central Australia has expressed relief that police have laid charges against a suspect and urged that the tragedy not be turned into a political issue.
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“The family of Kumanjayi Little Baby, our queen, is very relieved that charges have been made, and the man will face the court,” Warlpiri Elder and family spokesperson Robin Japanangka Granites told NITV News on Sunday.
“We must now let the justice system do its work,” said Granites, who identifies as the child’s grandfather.
Police announced earlier on Sunday that they had charged 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis with the murder of Kumanjayi Little Baby, following his arrest earlier this week.
Since being detained on Thursday, Lewis has been charged with one count of murder and two other charges that cannot be reported due to legal restrictions. He is expected to appear in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday.
The body of Kumanjayi Little Baby was discovered at around midday on Thursday by police, approximately 5km from where she had disappeared days before.
Granites also reiterated previous calls for Alice Springs to remain calm and asked that all people come together “in respecting this time of Sorry Business and mourning”.
“I also ask all our politicians, leaders to be respectful of this sorry time,” he said.
“We too need to work together on this, on many issues facing our people and communities here in Central Australia, but our little baby’s passing must not become a politician issue or an argument.”
Kumanjayi Little Baby — as she has been referred to since her death for cultural reasons — was last seen alive by members of her family at Alice Springs’ Old Timers town camp on Sunday last week. Source: Supplied / PR HANDOUT
Northern Territory Opposition legal affairs spokesperson Chansey Paech also said it was important to focus on the human dimension of the tragedy.
“It’s really important with all of the national headlines and stories and conversations that we don’t lose sight of what really, truly matters here, and that is the heartbreaking loss of Kumanjayi Little Baby,” he told NITV News on Sunday.
“To see that those charges have been laid, we’re able now to move to the next process of letting the justice system begin its job … and not losing focus on the role of supporting and helping families through this time of incredible sadness,” he added.
Additional arrests over Alice Springs riot
Police also announced on Sunday that there had been additional arrests relating to “riotous behaviour” around the Alice Springs hospital on Thursday, where locals gathered after news emerged that Lewis was being treated there following his arrest.
Police say the events resulted in over $180,000 in damages and losses.
Five people have now been arrested, police said on Sunday morning, after a service station and supermarket were damaged and burgled.
Community members clashed with police outside Alice Springs Hospital, where the man suspected of murdering Kumanjayi Little Baby was taken after being arrested. Source: AAP / Rhett Hammerton
“Following a review into CCTV and media outlet footage, five people aged 18, 26, 34, 46 and 49 have all been arrested and remain in custody with charges expected to follow,” local police said in a statement.
“Further offenders have been identified, and multiple arrests are expected to be made in coming days.”
Five-year-old Sharon has been missing for more than four days. (Supplied: NT Police Force)
In short:
Family members of Sharon Granites, a missing five-year-old girl who police believe has been abducted, are appealing to members of the public for any information that could help find her.
They describe her as a “very energetic” girl who is “only a little baby” and say they are holding out hope she will be found safe.
What’s next?
Police are continuing to search for Sharon, as well as 47-year-old man Jefferson Lewis who is suspected to have abducted her.
Family members of a missing five-year-old believed to have been abducted in Alice Springs have spoken to the ABC for the first time, pleading for anyone with information that could help find their “energetic” little girl to come forward.
Sharon Granites was reported missing from the Old Timers town camp in the early hours of Sunday, with police alleging she has been abducted by 47-year-old man Jefferson Lewis, who they are also trying to locate.
Police have been appealing to the public for information to help find the pair, saying they believe some community members are withholding information about Mr Lewis’ whereabouts, and now family members of the little girl have joined the pleas.
Sitting outside the house in Old Timers town camp, where Sharon was allegedly abducted from, her kinship grandfather Robin Japanangka Granites wept and called for her safe return.
Robin Japanangka Granites says Sharon is “only a little baby” and her family has been “crying, crying” since she went missing. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
“A very terrible thing, a horrible thing, and we wanted to try and see if we could get her back, but we can’t,” he said.
“[We’ve been] crying, crying, and doing what we meant to be doing, and being out there with our family crying… and that’s not what we want, we want to be going out and searching for her.
“She’s only a little baby.”
Family members have told the ABC that Sharon is unable to talk and communicates mostly through hand gestures.
Her great-uncle Rob Roy, who lives in the remote NT community of Kalkarindji, said he was urging anyone with information to come forward.
He said Sharon and some of her family had visited him not long ago, and described her as “very energetic”.
“She’s one of those little girls who roam around, run around, not fussed about anything,”
he said.
Rob Roy says Sharon is a “very energetic” little girl. (ABC News: Michael Donnelly)
He said he remembered how, during her last visit, five-year-old Sharon had sung by babbling along to the music.
“I know for sure she’s one of those girls who likes her TikTok or YouTube.
“If you give her a little iPad or phone, she’ll just sit one place and not move because she’s being entertained by what she’s watching.
“Every night when I sit down I wonder, ‘What would she be doing now, what would she be eating?’”
‘We still have our hopes up’
Bess Nungarrayi Price, a Warlpiri Alice Springs community leader and a member of the little girl’s extended family, said Sharon’s mother and grandmothers were distraught.
Bess Price says Sharon’s family members are calling on Jeffererson Lewis to come forward. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
“We are hoping, the family’s hoping, that she’s still alive, and hopefully they can return her to her grandmothers, and her mother,” she said.
“We still have our hopes up and we hope that we do find her. The whole family is just traumatised, but we still hope that we can find her and that she’s okay.”
Ms Price, who is also a former NT government child protection minister, said the family was appealing directly to Mr Lewis — a recently released prisoner — to provide them with any information he may have about where Sharon is.
History of man police are searching for over 5yo missing girl
“The family really want the man to be brought in so they can question him as to whether he’s been involved or not,” Ms Nungarrayi Price said.
“It is important that they do, or he surrenders himself to the police or to somebody, and just gives us some information at least as to where the girl might be.
“What the family are saying is we want to ask him, or for him to tell whoever he’s been staying with, if she’s safe and where they can find her, if he has got her.”
News
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Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family ‘relieved’ after charges laid, warns against politicisation “Our little baby’s passing must not become a politician…
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