Police believe missing 5yo girl still alive after alleged abduction from Alice Springs home

Police believe missing 5yo girl still alive after alleged abduction from Alice Springs home. Photo / NT Police

Detectives are hopeful a 5-year-old girl suspected of being snatched from her home in Alice Springs is still alive, as the desperate search enters its third day.

Police and volunteers are continuing to scour through shoulder-high grass on the third day of the search for Sharon, 5, which has entered its third day, after she was last seen at her home in Marshall Court, Old Timers Camp in Alice Springs about 11.30pm on Saturday.

Police believe she may have disappeared from her home after being put to bed.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Mall said they believe the young girl is still alive.

“At this stage our number one mission is to find her safe and well,” he told reporters.

“But as you know, as time goes on, the chances of … finding her live and well reduce.”

Sharon was wearing a dark blue short-sleeved T-shirt with a white ring stripe around the neck and the end of the sleeves and a pair of black boxer-style underwear.

The search for the little girl has entered its third day, with police scouring Alice Springs with the assistance of emergency services and volunteers from the Tangentyere Council and Purple House.

An NT Police spokesman told NewsWire that about 60 people were taking part in the ground search on Tuesday.

The search includes helicopters, drones, a dog unit, horses, motorcycle and ATVs.

“Tangentyere Council has assisted greatly with organising volunteers,” the spokesman said.

About 46sq km has so far been searched by helicopter, while officers and volunteers have scoured about 20sq km on foot.

Sergeant Matt Hall said the search had been slow because of the challenging environment.

“It is a vast search area that we are looking at and going through methodically,” he told ABC Radio Darwin.

Police are searching for Jefferson Lewis, who they believe can assist with inquiries. Photo / NT Police

“The area’s heavily overgrown with buffelgrass, so in some areas it’s shoulder-to-shoulder search pattern through that area.

“So, it’s slow going, but we will continue to push through.”

On Monday, NT Police said they were seeking assistance from Jefferson Lewis, 47, who they said was living in the house at the time and may be able to assist with inquiries.

Lewis was recently released from prison for violent offences, including assault and domestic violence.

Acting Commander Mark Grieve said Lewis was believed to have disappeared at the same time as Sharon.

He said the 47-year-old “was in and around the house at that point in time, so I’m assuming there was some sort of recognition of who he may be”.

“He’s the only person that we haven’t been able to locate and speak to who was in and around that area at the time.”

Grieve said police believe Sharon was snatched.

“We do believe Sharon has been abducted,” he said.

Police said the search for the little girl has rocked the community.

“Obviously, it’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing,” Grieve said.

He urged anyone with information to come forward.

“You just don’t know what piece of information might complete the jigsaw puzzle,” he said.

“We want to find Sharon healthy and we want to get her back to her family.”

Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.