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Missing 5-year-old girl likely abducted from Outback home, police say
Police in the Northern Territory say a five-year-old girl, Sharon, missing from an Aboriginal town camp near Alice Springs, was likely abducted. They are searching for a 47-year-old man, Jefferson Lewis, who had recently been released from prison and was staying at the camp when she disappeared. Authorities and volunteers are conducting searches with dog squads, drones, and a helicopter.
Why It Matters
The case has prompted a large-scale search and public safety concerns in the Alice Springs area, underscoring the need for information from the community.
Timeline
3 Events
Police update and ongoing search effort
April 27, 2026
On Monday, Northern Territory Police Acting Commander Mark Grieve said investigators want to speak with Jefferson Lewis and urged anyone with information to contact police. Dozens of people were searching the area around the camp with help from a dog squad, drone unit and a helicopter as officers and volunteers comb nearby bush and desert for Sharon.
Suspect identified; man reportedly recently released from prison linked to disappearance
April 25, 2026
Police said a 47-year-old man, Jefferson Lewis, who was staying at the camp and had been recently released from prison, is a person of interest in Sharon’s disappearance. He had been in Old Timers camp at the time Sharon went missing and has not made himself known to police.
Sharon last seen in her family home at Aboriginal town camp
April 25, 2026
Sharon, a five-year-old girl, was last seen in her family home at an Aboriginal town camp in Alice Springs just before midnight on Saturday. She was wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a white ring around the neck and sleeves, and black boxer-style underwear.