NEED TO KNOW
- Five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby was found dead after a five-day search in bushland near the Old Timers town camp in Alice Springs, about five kilometres from her home.
- A 47-year-old man, Jefferson Lewis, has been charged with her murder as police investigations continue.
- The tragedy has sparked widespread grief and community support in Alice Springs, with locals leaving tributes and the family observing sorry business while calling for calm and respect during legal proceedings.
Trigger warning: This article discusses death and sensitive topics. If you have been affected by this article, know that help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this article contains images of the deceased.
A sea of flowers, teddy bears and handwritten notes lines fences outside homes in a town camp in Alice Springs – a heartbreaking tribute to a little girl whose tragic loss has shaken the country.
But despite the outpouring of grief for Kumanjayi Little Baby, it’s her devastated mother Jacinta’s highly personal words that truly communicate the sorrow of the loss.
“To Kumanjayi Little Baby. Me and [your brother] Ramsiah miss and love you,” Jacinta said in a statement.
“I know you are in heaven with the rest of the family with Jesus, and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
“Me and your brother will meet you one day … It’s going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you.”
Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mum concluded, “Ramsiah wants to tell you that when he sees you in heaven, he is going to give you the biggest hug ever.”
The little girl was adored by her close-knit family, especially her big brother Ramsiah.
According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, Ramsiah was “[always] there to give his little sister a hug”.
Kumanjayi Little Baby loved her family in return and was also devoted to her tabby cat, Yellow.
Relatives have shared that she was “such a happy child her skin seemed to glow”.
When a horrified Jacinta discovered her daughter was missing in the very early hours of April 26, hundreds of volunteers immediately joined police in the search.
Frantic family members combed remote terrain alongside officers in the hope of finding her alive.
Instead, her body was discovered about five kilometres away on April 30.
Jefferson Lewis, 47, has since been charged with her murder and is expected to face court as investigations continue.
In the days since, grief has rippled far beyond her family.
The mood across Alice Springs has been in turns, volatile and sombre, but there is also a quiet determination among the community to stand together.
Locals have left pink tributes – Kumanjayi Little Baby’s favourite colour – and food, clothing and blankets as the family carries out ‘sorry business’, a deeply significant period of mourning and cultural ceremony.
A week after her body was discovered, emotional vigils in honour of Kumanjayi Little Baby were also held across the country.
Senior Warlpiri Elder and family spokesperson Robin Japanangka Granites said the outpouring of support has brought comfort during an unthinkable time.
He said the family feels relief now that charges have been laid, allowing justice to begin, but stressed the tragedy must not be politicised.
“Our little baby’s passing must not become a politician issue or an argument,” he said.
Amid the ongoing headlines, the family struggles to come to terms with their grief.
Heartbroken grandmother, Peggy Granites says the loss is also unbearable.
Unable to return home, she said softly: “It’s too much.”
“I cannot go back there … She was just so beautiful, and such a good girl, and I miss her.”
