Northern Territory police say one person is facing charges and more are expected to be over unrest in Alice Springs after the arrest of a man in connection with the death of five-year-old girl.
The grandfather of Kumanjayi Little Baby, whose body was found on Thursday 5km from the Old Timers town camp where she was last seen alive on Saturday night, called for calm in the central Australian town on Friday, saying the violent confrontation between police and others at Alice Springs hospital was not “our way”.
The town is in deep mourning over the girl’s death of the girl.
Police arrested 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis late on Thursday in connection to the child’s disappearance. Authorities had been searching for him since Sunday.
The Northern Territory police commissioner, Martin Dole, told reporters in Alice Springs on Friday that Lewis had “presented himself to one of the town camps” on Thursday night.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email“As a result of presenting himself, members of that town camp decided to inflict vigilante justice upon Jefferson and we received numerous phone calls saying he was in the process of being assaulted,” he said. “We responded very quickly and we stopped that from continuing.”
He said Lewis had been subjected to a “sustained attack” and was unconscious when police and ambulance officers arrived. They had then been “assaulted” by the crowd at the town camp, he said, with one police officer requiring stitches.
“We conveyed Mr Lewis to the Alice Springs hospital and shortly afterward a large crowd gathered and tried to gain access to that hospital and access to Mr Lewis,” he said. “Police responded and we called out all the resources that we had available to quell that violence and disturbance …
“Those people involved, you will face the law just as Jefferson Lewis is facing the law and your behaviour will not be accepted by us.”
A crowd of about 400 people assembled outside the hospital as word spread of the arrest. A police car was set alight, four other police cars and four of the region’s five ambulances were damaged, bins and bushes were set on fire and nearby businesses were trashed. One woman was arrested for allegedly trying to set a police car alight. Dole said officers from the territory response group had used “less-than-lethal munitions and chemical munitions” against the crowd.
Robin Granites, a senior Warlpiri elder and spokesperson for the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby, acknowledged people’s anger as the community grapples with grief but urged the town to come together and respect the family.
“It is time now for sorry business, to show respect for our family and have space for grieving and remembering,” Granites said. “Everyone is feeling very upset and emotions are very high.
“Our children are precious, of course we are feeling angry and hurt at what has happened.
“This man has been caught, thanks to community action, and we must now let justice take its course while we take the time to mourn Kumantjayi Little Baby and support our family.”
Dole said Lewis had been transferred to Darwin in the early hours of Friday morning due to safety concerns “for himself and emergency service workers”. He had been discharged from hospital into police custody.
The police commissioner said the violence outside the hospital was unacceptable and “an aberration” from a community which had pulled together to search for, and now grieve, Kumanjayi Little Baby.
“I just call for calm across the community today,” he said.
The NT chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, said she understood the grief and anger but unrest was neither acceptable nor reflective of the community.
“This week we’ve seen this town come together like never before, hundreds of people walking shoulder to shoulder through the long buffel grass, through the bush, to make sure we left no stone unturned,” she said.
Finocchiaro said bottle shops would be closed on Friday and takeaway alcohol sales on Saturday would be limited to between 11am and 2pm. Sunday already has restricted alcohol sales, and Monday and Tuesday are dry days.
Dole told reporters that anyone seeking justice through traditional Warlpiri lore would have to respect the “one law” operating in the NT.
“There’s one law, and that one law applies to everybody, Dole said. “Including the people that were involved in the violence last night.
“Now Mr Lewis is in police custody. There will be a prosecution and the court case will proceeds. I am telling the community that that’s what’s going to occur and that needs to be accepted by the community.”
Central Land Council’s chair Warren Williams, who is related to the family and a grandfather to Kumanjayi Little Baby, also condemned the targeting of frontline workers.
“I am so grateful to all the volunteers, emergency services and police staff who helped find my granddaughter,” he said.
“To those who think this is the time to take out their grief on the people who serve our community, I say stop right now.”
The independent Victorian senator and Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurrung woman Lidia Thorpe said Little Baby’s death had plunged the community into deep distress and trauma.
She also urged media outlets and community members to be mindful sharing images and videos on social media, saying it could be used to fuel racist or inflammatory commentary.
“Our families and communities must not be demonised or blamed for the violent actions of one individual,” Thorpe said.
“People should refrain from sharing footage of violence online, which is only inflaming tensions.”
Prime minister, Anthony Albanese said the violent death of such a young girl “broke his heart” and caused a deep hurt in the community.
“We want to see the community come together, but we certainly understand people’s anger and frustration and that that was expressed.”
