00:01Going by back to Sydney. Sure. Yeah, no worries. ABC is good. Yeah, I'm ready. All good? Yes, thank you.
00:13Okay. Acting Commander Mark Greve from Crime and Intelligence
00:18Intelligence Command, NT Police. The Northern Territory Police Force holds concerns for the welfare of five-year-old Sharon, who
00:28was reported missing from
00:29Alice Springs on Saturday night. Around 1.35 a.m. Police received reports that Sharon could not be located at
00:38her residence on Marshall Court Old Timers Camp in Alice Springs. It is believed she was last seen around about
00:4611.30 p.m. that night, being Saturday night. She was last seen wearing a dark blue short sleeve t
00:55-shirt with a white ring stripe around the neck and white
00:59ring stripe around the end of the sleeves and a pair of black boxer style underwear. Police have conducted an
01:07initial search of the area and have been unable to locate Sharon at this point in time. Police are urging
01:14anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference number P26120934.
01:27Search teams have consisted of the drone unit, horses, dog operations, TRG, ATVs, motorcycles, ground units and NTES volunteers. Up
01:39to date, that search continues. Further to the information I've just provided, the Northern Territory Police can now confirm they
01:49are seeking the public assistance to locate a 47-year-old male by the name of Jefferson Lewis.
01:56Police believe Mr Lewis can assist with inquiries at this point in time. A photo of Mr Lewis will be
02:03provided shortly after this press conference for dissemination to the greater public.
02:09We can confirm that he is believed to have been in the area around that time and staying at the
02:14residence.
02:15He currently remains one of the few people who were in Old Timers camp at the time and who has
02:22not made themselves known to police nor have police been able to locate him at this point in time.
02:31Police can confirm that he has recently been released from prison and is currently the subject of no conditions. An
02:38extensive investigation remains underway.
02:42Police can we extrapolate from what you've said here that you believe Sharon has been abducted?
02:49We do believe Sharon has been abducted and we believe Mr Jefferson may be able to provide us with some
02:53information in regards to that.
02:55What were his convictions? What have you been in jail for?
02:59I can't advise the extent of them but a lot of them were physical assaults. I believe there was some
03:07domestic violence history possible.
03:09Were any of them related to child related offences?
03:12No.
03:14In terms of, you said he has no conditions. Was he living in Old Timers camp at that time?
03:22Yeah, it's a little bit unclear. We're still trying to work through his movements since he got out of prison.
03:29We certainly know that he was in and around Old Timers camp and that particular residence Saturday afternoon into that
03:38evening.
03:39Is he related to Sharon?
03:41No, not that we're aware of. There might be a very peripheral link but not directly related.
03:49Is he known to her?
03:52At this stage we're yet to confirm that but I would suggest so. He was in and around the house
03:57at that point in time so I'm assuming there was some sort of recognition of who he may be.
04:01Who else was in the house at the time?
04:04Can't confirm numbers at this stage but certainly Sharon and her mother and some other family members.
04:10Can you give us an indication of what your priorities are now as far as the police investigation goes, as
04:18far as tracking this man down, what you're doing to try and find him?
04:21We're doing everything within our power to do it. Major crime are currently on route. They've probably landed. They're going
04:27to take carriage of the criminal portion of this investigation.
04:32We've got two investigations running concurrently, the criminal plus we've also got the search and rescue effort that is currently
04:39underway.
04:40We don't know or we don't have any information in regards to whether Mr Lewis has access to a vehicle.
04:47We don't think he does so we're hoping that he's still in the immediate area and if he is involved
04:54we certainly hope that no harm has come to Sharon.
04:57What CCTV is available? Have you been able to track any, have any trace of his movement through that?
05:03We do have some CCTV footage. Some of that will be disseminated in regards to providing media with his image.
05:10Was he with the girl at that time? No.
05:15So there's no exact, you don't have any evidence yet that he's with Sharon or it's strongly suspected?
05:22Look, it's suspected at this point in time. We think he can provide information. Certainly he's the only person who
05:31we haven't been able to locate and speak to who was in and around that area at the time.
05:36Considering himself and Sharon went missing at around about the same time, it certainly brings about those suspicious circumstances and
05:43we'd like to speak to him about that.
05:44We've heard some people from the ground tell us at the ABC that this man who'd been released from prison
05:52was perhaps behaving erratically around that community in the day prior or the day during. Can you confirm that?
05:59No, I can't confirm that at this point.
06:01Are you in contact with people who know this man, his family members or others and what are they saying
06:08to you and what is your advice to them?
06:10Yep, I can't comment fully in regards to that question but be rest assured that's part of the investigative process.
06:18All of his family members and his links are being contacted and spoken to appropriately.
06:23Will there be searches now in Alice Springs? Will there be roadblocks and that type of traffic type search that
06:28will cause some disruption around Alice Springs?
06:31We're still working through that process. At this point in time that's not the case. Whether or not we need
06:37to get to that point, we'll certainly provide
06:42some information to the public in regards to that. But at this point in time I wouldn't imagine so.
06:47This is kind of worst nightmare type stuff for Sharon's family no doubt. How are they holding up? What kind
06:54of support are they getting?
06:55Yeah, absolutely. Obviously it's a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing. We're just, you know, we're
07:06over 24 hours now. So it would certainly be my worst nightmare as a parent. We're wrapping around the mother.
07:15We've actually facilitated some other accommodation just to provide her with some extra support and her family members.
07:23So certainly the call for public assistance, please, if you've got any information, regardless of how small in detail you
07:33think it may be, please let us know.
07:36You just don't know what piece of information may complete the jigsaw puzzle that we may need to find a
07:44successful resolution to this matter.
07:46which is exactly what we want. We want to find Sharon healthy and we want to get it back to
07:52her family.
07:54Awesome. Thanks, guys. Thank you, Mark.
07:58Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Mark. Thank you.
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