Police in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) have charged a man with murder and two counts of sexual assault following the death of a five-year-old girl. Kumanjayi Little Baby disappeared last Saturday after being put to bed just before midnight at an Aboriginal camp near Alice Springs.
Source: ABC, BBC, Radio NZ
The body of the girl, known only as Kumanjayi Little Baby for cultural reasons, was found on Thursday after a days-long police search.
Jefferson Lewis, 47, was charged with the girl’s murder on Saturday evening and will appear in court in Darwin on Tuesday. Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole announced the charges against Lewis, which also include two counts of sexual assault, on Sunday morning local time.
“This remains a very moving case and our hearts go out to the family, loved ones and the community of Kumanjayi who have been deeply affected by these events,” said Police Commissioner Dole.
He asked the community to respect the judicial process. The suspect was reportedly attacked at a location in central Australia before his arrest.
Riot
Violent riots outside the Alice Springs hospital where Lewis was being treated for his injuries led to police transferring the suspect to Darwin, about 1,500km north of Alice Springs.
Videos showed dozens of people gathering outside the city’s hospital on Thursday evening. Some people threw projectiles, after which police used tear gas. Protesters also attack police cars, with at least one van set on fire. Dole called the riots “disgusting” and “horrendous.”
Five people have been arrested in connection with the riots that followed the child’s death. Property damage and theft of goods from a petrol station and supermarket are estimated at more than A$180,000, police said.
“Revenge”
Australian national broadcaster ABC reports that people in the crowd outside the hospital shouted for Lewis to get “revenge”. They accused the police of protecting him. “Revenge” is a term for a traditional punishment according to the customary law of the Aboriginal people of Central Australia, usually carried out by elders to establish harmony between indigenous families and groups.
Kumanjayi Little Baby disappeared last Saturday after being put to bed just before midnight at an Aboriginal camp near Alice Springs.
Alice Springs is located in the so-called Red Center of Australia, almost in the geographical center, in the Northern Territory. The city is very isolated and surrounded by several deserts.
