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Warning: This article contains references to a deceased person, which may distress Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers.
Arrest sparks violent clashes at Alice Springs hospital
Police used tear gas after crowds gathered outside an Alice Springs hospital where a man accused of murdering a five-year-old girl was being treated. The unrest followed his arrest late Thursday, during which he was reportedly attacked by community members.
Community outrage over child's death
The body of Kumanjayi Little Baby, as she is culturally referred to, was found earlier on Thursday. She had last been seen on Saturday night when she was put to bed at an Aboriginal town camp near Alice Springs. Police confirmed her identity and cause of death are still under forensic examination.
Chaos at the hospital
Video footage showed dozens of people outside the hospital, some throwing projectiles at police. Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said about 200 individuals turned on officers and paramedics as they responded to reports of an assault on the suspect, Jefferson Lewis. Emergency services personnel were among those injured, and at least one person was arrested for attempting to set fire to a police vehicle.
"The scenes outside the hospital cannot be explained away, excused, or accepted," Dole said. "This is not reflective of the Alice Springs community we've seen in recent days."
Traditional law and modern justice collide
Some in the crowd shouted demands for "payback," a term referring to traditional Aboriginal customary law aimed at restoring harmony between families. However, Michael Liddle, an Alyawarre man and Alice Springs local, warned that invoking "payback" in this context risked escalating violence.
"There's a system in place where the person is in custody, and Western rules will deal with them," Liddle said. "Bringing the word 'payback' into this scenario just fuels violence."
Suspect flown to Darwin for custody
Lewis sustained injuries during the attack but was deemed well enough to be transferred from Alice Springs to Darwin, where he is now in police custody. Commissioner Dole said charges would be laid in the coming days and warned that anyone found to have assisted Lewis would face consequences.
Family calls for calm amid grief
Kumanjayi Little Baby's grandfather, Robin Granites, a senior Warlpiri elder, urged the community to allow the justice system to proceed while mourning the child's death.
"What has happened this week is not our way," Granites said. "Our children are precious, and we are feeling angry and hurt. This man has been caught, thanks to community action, and we must now let justice take its course."
The girl's mother, who was not named, expressed her devastation in a statement, saying her daughter was deeply loved. She also thanked the police and volunteers who searched for Kumanjayi Little Baby in the days following her disappearance.
Timeline of events
Lewis was released from prison six days before the girl vanished. Police had been searching bushland and desert areas near Old Timers Camp, a government-designated site for Aboriginal visitors to Alice Springs, in the hope of finding her alive. Commissioner Dole described the moment her body was discovered as "absolutely devastating" for everyone involved.
