The man charged with the murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby has been excused from appearing before court, just minutes before her heartbroken family turned up to attend the hearing.
Jefferson Lewis, 47, was due to appear before Alice Springs Local Court on Tuesday morning via an audio-visual link.
The court was only open to the public for about 20 minutes before it was wrapped up, with Judge Anthony Hopkins adjourning the matter to July 30.
It’s believed Legal Aid lawyers representing Lewis, who remains in custody, asked for him to be excused from the July hearing.
There were emotional scenes outside court after Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family turned up to witness the hearing, only to realise they had missed it.
An Elder woman could be seen sobbing as she walked up the court steps, with Kumanjayi Little Baby’s brother flanked by Aunties.
They had white ochre on their faces, which is worn by Indigenous people during sorry business.
The Daily Mail understands the family were taken to a private room where the court proceedings were explained.
There were emotional scenes outside court after Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family turned up to witness the hearing, only to realise they had missed it
The family were taken to a private room where the court proceedings were explained
Kumanjayi Little Baby, five, is believed to have been snatched from a house at Old Timers Camp, 6km south of Alice Springs, on April 25
About 15 minutes later, the family left the courthouse and were seen gathered in a park across the road.
It marks the first time since they have been seen in public since Kumanjayi Little Baby went missing.
Lewis is accused of taking the five-year-old girl from a house at Old Timers Camp, 6km south of Alice Springs, where he was staying last month.
Lewis allegedly crept into the room on Anzac Day where the young girl had been put to bed on a mattress, before sneaking her out via the side door sparking a massive manhunt for the pair.
The alleged killing has horrified the tight‑knit community, which spent anxious days scouring creek beds and scrub for the missing girl before her body was found in bushland outside the town five days after she disappeared.
‘This is a horrific event and a horrific set of circumstances and our thoughts remain strongly with the family and the community as everyone processes the impact of these horrific events,’ NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole told reporters on Sunday morning.
‘This has been an extensive and detailed investigation. Our detectives have been working around the clock to come up with this outcome.’
Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder and remains in custody
Lewis was arrested at another Alice Springs town camp after being beaten unconscious by locals.
He was placed under guard at Alice Springs Hospital, where a large, angry crowd gathered demanding he face traditional justice, before Lewis was evacuated to Darwin by the NT Police air wing for his own protection.
The alleged murder gained nationwide attention and fuelled days of tension, including looting and attacks on emergency services.
Five emergency workers were injured, police vehicles and ambulances were damaged and local businesses were ransacked.
More than a dozen people have since been arrested over the unrest, while police are also searching for people who they believe sheltered Lewis during the days‑long search.
The case has reignited debate over conditions in town camps and the safety of Aboriginal children with opposition calls for inquiries while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese points to billions of dollars in federal spending on remote housing.
Candlelight vigils for Kumanjayi are planned for Thursday and mourners have been asked to wear pink, her favourite colour, as the community comes together to grieve and remember her short life.
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