“We believed he has murdered this child,” investigation lead Peter Malley told reporters.
“I say to Jefferson Lewis: we’re coming for you.”
A pair of children’s underwear was located nearby the camp, and forensic testing has since confirmed they contained the DNA of both the little girl – who is non-verbal – and 47-year-old Lewis, he added.
Lewis – who local media have reported is a distant relative – had been in and out of prison for domestic and family violence-related offences, and was released less than a week before he was seen holding hands with the child late on the night she disappeared.
In a statement, Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother – who was not named – said her daughter was loved and missed.
“It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you.”
“We know you are in heaven with the rest of the family and Jesus. Me and your brother will meet you one day.”
The girl’s mum also thanked the dozens of people, both police and volunteers, who have spent days searching the area around Old Timers Camp – a site set aside by the government for Aboriginal people to stay in when in Alice Springs.
“Around 200 people have worked tirelessly around the clock in searching for this beautiful little girl who went missing five days ago,” Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.
“And for five days every Territorian has had their heart in their throat waiting for the moment when we got the announcement that she had been found safe and well… Everyone is incredibly devastated.”
“This is the worst possible outcome,” NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said.
Detectives say they believe Lewis – who has no phone, no bank account and no car – has been assisted and appealed for anyone with information to contact authorities.
They have previously said his lack of digital footprint has been complicating the manhunt.
“We’re knocking on doors, we’re going through houses. It’s going back to 1930s policing,” Malley said on Wednesday.
Using the name of deceased people, as well as broadcasting their image or voice, breaches cultural protocols around mourning in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and cannot be done without the permission of their families.
