Police are desperately trying to find CleoSmith have returned to the campsite where the little girl disappeared to gather more evidence. Federal Police joined in the hunt.
Police fear that the four year-old girl, who is being searched by officers, was abducted elsewhere and taken to a different location.
Police from Taskforce Rodia reportedly took samples of ash from several campfires, which were located near shacks along Rodia’s beachfront, on Wednesday.
Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde arrived at the Blowholes Campsite near Carnarvon last night to join almost 100 officers on the ground.
The Australian Federal Police joined the suspected abduction case in order to enhance search efforts with advanced technology and intelligence.
Cleo Smith disappeared from the campsite where she was last seen by police.
Police from Taskforce Rodia collected ash samples from several campfires that had been lit near the beachfront shacks.
Karen Andrews, Home Affairs Minister confirmed Wednesday that the AFP participated in the hunt to find little Cleo in Parliament.
Ms Andrews stated that Australians can be sure that we will continue equipping our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools and resources they need to fight this very serious crime, especially those against children.
Her comments come as bounty hunters and private investigators have swarmed to the Gascoyne town to offer their services.
Civilian investigators have been sending locals messages over social media with one man chartering a helicopter to search an area hundreds of kilometres from the town, the West Australian reports.
When approached by the publication, the man said he wasn’t a bounty hunter but was instead looking for ‘oil and ‘gas’ deposits.
Cleo’s home was searched by police for the third time Wednesday in routine practices to eliminate all possible suspects.
Cleo’s family house was searched by police on Wednesday for the third consecutive time. This was part of routine practices to eliminate any possibility (pictured: the family).
Little Cleo Smith is pictured with Jake Gliddon, her stepfather who ‘raised’ her as his own.
Cleo Smith’s heartbroken stepfather (pictured in a green singlet with sunglasses and a green singlet) has returned to his family’s home since his little girl disappeared from Blowholes campsite in Western Australia 11 Days ago.
Detectives and forensics officers had spent Tuesday in search of the home. They left with two bags containing evidence, but their contents are not yet known.
Col Blanch, acting WA Police Commissioner, said that the search of their family home was a’standard practice and did not indicate that they were suspects with Cleo’s disappearance.
‘The parents were nothing but helpful. We’ve worked very closely with them, they’ve let us into their home, they’ve let us into their cars, their phones, everything,’ Mr Blanch told 6PR.
“That is a normal part if an investigation and we must continue it thoroughly.
“Our job in this investigation is to get rid of everyone who was at that camp. It is a systematic, thorough approach to doing so in all investigations. This is the current focus of the investigation.
Officers are also investigating CCTV footage of a car seen driving down a highway close to Blowholes campsite during the time Cleo disappeared.
The footage was taken from a home on the North West Coastal Highway, which reportedly shows a sedan travelling down the road at about 3am.
Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon are together
A distraught mother shared the shocking story of how her daughter was approached by “a man in his late 40s with beard driving small red cars” while they were camping at the popular holiday spot.
Two people on their way to work had earlier told police they saw a car turning south off Blowholes Road at about 3am on the day Cleo vanished.
Police are now working to identify the driver and registration plates to determine whether the car seen in the footage is the same one in the reports, 7News reports.
The attempted kidnapping of a child at the Blowholes campsite several years ago has raised concerns that a kidnapper might be operating in the area.
A recently rediscovered social media post shows that a guy in his late 40s driving a small, red car and approaching a girl at the popular holiday spot of 2014.
The girl’s mother, who was in distress, filed a complaint with the police. He asked her daughter to drive in his car but she refused and ran to her family.
The attempted kidnapping occurred in 2014. The little girl was unable to provide a complete description of the man’s appearance.
Detectives are currently looking into footage from a North West Coastal Highway home, near Blowholes campsite. It reportedly shows a sedan driving down the road at around 3am.
She shared the post to warn other parents that their children might be in the area.
There are concerns in the community that Cleo’s disappearance could have been linked to the incident.
Since the original discovery of the post, many people have reported it Crime Stoppers. They hope that any possible links will be investigated thoroughly.
Blanch stated that while they were keeping an open mind about Cleo’s disappearance and the ‘highest likelihood’ was that she had been abducted.
The four-year old has not been seen since Saturday morning, October 16, at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon.
Cleo was last spotted by her parents at 1:30am, with her mother Ellie, stepfather, and baby sister Isla (right), during their first camping trip together.
Ms Smith (pictured) asked anyone with information about the missing toddler to call police as she wanted her daughter back.
Ellie Smith, Ellie’s four-year old daughter, was teary-eyed Monday when she said that her and her husband had hardly returned to their home since they found it too difficult to return without their daughter.
The little girl, dressed in pink pajamas, was camping in a tent with her mother Ellie and stepfather Isla. This was their first camping trip together.
Her parents last saw her on October 16 at 1.30am. She woke up to get water and asked for it.
Cleo, along with her red-and-grey sleeping bag, had disappeared by 6.30 a.m. when her parents woke them up.
Although a massive land, sea, and air search has been ongoing for nearly two weeks, there are still no signs of the preschooler and detectives don’t have any firm suspects.
The WA government announced last week a $1million reward to anyone who can help Cleo locate her.
Cleo’s distraught mother asked the question in an unspoken plea for answers.
Since the beginning of their nightmare ordeal, Ms Smith has been subject to intense scrutiny. Hordes of online sleuths have pointed fingers at her and Mr Gliddon.
Monday night, the devastated couple denied any involvement with Cleo’s disappearance. They also made a heartfelt plea that she be brought home.
Ms Smith advised anyone with information about the missing toddler to call police, because she wanted her daughter back and she wants them back.
She wept and then she had a message for Cleo, her abductor: “Just give her back,’ she said on Channel Seven’s Flashpoint program.
Ms Smith stated Tuesday that she was overwhelmed at the generosity of Australians, who donated to a Gofundme account set up by a close friend.