Overview
- NT Police charged the 47-year-old on Saturday night with one count of murder and two counts of sexual assault after days of investigation.
- The girl, known by her family as Kumanjayi Little Baby, vanished Saturday from an Alice Springs town camp and was found dead Thursday about 5 kilometres from where she went missing.
- After the arrest Thursday night, community members beat the suspect unconscious and about 400 people gathered at Alice Springs Hospital calling for “payback,” as police used tear gas and emergency vehicles were damaged and responders injured.
- Lewis was flown to Darwin for safety, and police said forensic testing found DNA from both the child and the suspect on a pair of children’s underwear as they prepare to release riot footage to identify offenders.
- Family elders urged the community to focus on Sorry Business, alcohol sales were temporarily tightened, and the suspect’s recent release from prison has renewed calls for better post‑release support and highlighted long‑standing tensions with authorities.