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Murder Charge Filed in Death of Five-Year-Old Aboriginal Girl
(MENAFN) Australian authorities have charged a 47-year-old man with the murder of a young Aboriginal girl whose disappearance triggered a major search operation across the Northern Territory — and whose death has since ignited civil unrest on the streets of Alice Springs.
The Northern Territory Police announced Sunday that the suspect was taken into custody Thursday evening in Alice Springs and formally charged in connection with the killing of Kumanjayi Little Baby — a name adopted for cultural reasons following her passing.
The accused has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear before the Alice Springs Local Court on Tuesday via audio-visual link.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation identified the man as Jefferson Lewis.
The five-year-old vanished on April 25 from a town camp in Alice Springs, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation that mobilized significant resources across the region. Her body was discovered on April 30, approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of the camp where she was last seen.
Lewis reportedly faces two additional charges, including sexual assault.
The arrest did not pass without consequence. Protesters converged outside Alice Springs Hospital following Lewis' detention, clashing with officers in scenes that prompted five further arrests for what police described as "riotous behavior" on Thursday night.
Authorities signaled the legal fallout is far from over.
"Further offenders have been identified, and multiple arrests are expected to be made in coming days," police said.
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