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Man Charged With Murder and Sexual Assault of 5-Year-Old Girl Near Alice Springs
Northern Territory police charged Jefferson Lewis with murder and two counts of sexual assault in the death of 5-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby. The Warlpiri girl's disappearance from a town camp sparked riots and looting in Alice Springs. Authorities imposed alcohol restrictions and arrested 11 people amid the unrest.
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Northern Territory Police have charged 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis with murder and two counts of sexual assault in the death of Kumanjayi Little Baby. The 5-year-old girl from the Warlpiri community was reported missing from her bed in a town camp near Alice Springs on 25 April 2026.
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Her body was located on 30 April approximately five kilometres south of the camp, according to police. Lewis was arrested on the same day the body was found. Investigators said they found his DNA on the girl's underwear.
Police Commissioner Martin Dole said the charges would be deeply distressing for the community. He urged people to respect the judicial process and said thoughts remained with the girl's family and the wider community. Lewis was airlifted from Alice Springs Hospital to Darwin. A one-day ban on takeaway alcohol sales was imposed in the area and extra officers were brought in from Darwin.
The death prompted unrest in Alice Springs. " Vigilante groups reached Lewis at the Charles Creek camp before police intervened, according to reports. Rioters looted businesses, with damage estimated at A$200,000. Hundreds took part in the disturbances.
Dozens threw rocks at the hospital where Lewis was initially held. Local MP Robyn Lambley said there were fires and violence that prevented a woman in labour from entering the facility. "There are bins on fire... A woman in labour apparently couldn't get into the hospital because of the violent scenes," Lambley told GB News.
Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the riots and looting.
Dole released footage of people entering a service station and described the behaviour as "criminal behaviour, plain and simple. It's abhorrent, it's disgusting, and it will not be tolerated or accepted by the Northern Territory Police."
