Police are in a race against time to locate a missing five-year-old girl believed to have been taken from her bed three days ago by a recently released prisoner. Sharon Granites, who resides with her mother near Alice Springs at Old Timers Camp in the Australian outback, has sparked a massive search effort by authorities and volunteers. The police suspect that 46-year-old Jefferson Lewis, recently released from jail and staying at the same home as Sharon, may be involved in her disappearance.
Clothing belonging to the ex-convict has been sent for forensic testing as part of the investigation to find Sharon, who has been missing since Saturday. NT Police assistant commissioner Peter Malley mentioned that there was a gathering at the camp when Sharon went missing while her mother was nearby doing laundry. An eyewitness reported seeing Lewis with the girl late on Saturday night, after which they both disappeared.
Despite over 48 hours passing since Sharon went missing, officials remain hopeful that she is still alive and are focused on locating her safely. The search efforts, involving ground teams, helicopters, drones, dog units, horses, and volunteers, have covered significant areas of rough terrain. The challenging environment, with dense buffel grass, has slowed down the search progress. Indigenous trackers and volunteers from land councils have also joined in the search operation.
Police are yet to determine the motive behind the alleged abduction, although Commissioner Malley suggested that alcohol consumption at the camp may have influenced Lewis’s actions. The search has covered approximately 46 square kilometers by air and an additional 20 square kilometers on foot. Despite the challenges, the search teams are determined to continue their efforts to locate Sharon.
