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Warning: This story contains the name and images of a deceased Indigenous person.
A crowd of hundreds of people converged on Alice Springs Hospital on Thursday night after the arrest of a man accused of killing a five-year-old girl.
It is understood Jefferson Lewis was found in Charles Creek, and had been seen walking up and down the river bed in the hours before his apprehension.
Locals who were aware of the circumstances of his arrest said he had been beaten before police were able to locate him.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment, and residents came from all around Alice Springs and its remote communities to protest.
A large police cordon has been established at the hospital, and police are using tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Lewis, 47, became the subject of one of the Northern Territory Police’s biggest manhunts after the body of Kumanjayi Little Baby* was found on Thursday by the Todd River.
The little girl vanished from Old Timers Aboriginal Town Camp on Saturday night, with authorities alleging Lewis, who was also staying at the camp, had taken her from her family’s house as she slept.
After five days of searching for the pair, the child’s body was found by police near Todd River, about five kilometres south of the camp. Her cause of death is yet to be determined.
Lewis remained on the run, but on Thursday night police issued a statement confirming his arrest.
“A short time ago, the Northern Territory Police Force located and arrested Jefferson Lewis at a residence in Alice Springs,” the statement read.
“Further information will be provided early in the morning.”
Earlier on Thursday, NT Police assistant commissioner Peter Malley warned others about helping Lewis.
“We say to the family of Jefferson Lewis that we believe he’s murdered this child. Do not assist him – get him to the police station, and we’ll look after him,” he said.
“And I say to Jefferson Lewis: we’re coming for you.”
The girl’s family released a statement on Thursday afternoon saying she was missed and loved, and that it was going to be hard to live without her.
“I know you are in heaven with the rest of the family with Jesus, and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” the statement read.
“Me and your brother will meet you one day, we are giving our lives to Jesus.
“It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without [you].
“Ramsiah [the girl’s brother] wants to tell you that when he sees you in heaven, he is going to give you the biggest hug ever.”
Kumanjayi Little Baby’s great aunt, Rose Spencer, said she remembered when Lewis arrived at the community about a week ago after being told by members of another camp, Yuendumu, that he was not welcome there.
“We trusted him as a family. He was in [our family], but not any more. We don’t trust people,” she said.
Dole said police believed Lewis was helped to evade detection.
The search for him was further hampered by the fact he had no mobile phone, bank account or vehicle, forcing police to resort to “1930s-style” shoe-leather policing.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said she had spoken to the little girl’s mother, who was incredibly distraught.
“Around 200 people have worked tirelessly around the clock in searching for this beautiful little girl who went missing five days ago, five days every Territorian has had their heart in their throat, waiting for the moment that we got the announcement that she’d been found safe and well,” she said.
“That news did not come, and it’s fair to say everyone is feeling this loss acutely.”
*For cultural reasons, the name of the five-year-old victim will no longer be published, in accordance with the family’s wishes.
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