CleoSmith, the top police officer investigating the mysterious disappearance and disappearance of a missing girl, stated that he believes that the little girl is still in Western Australia.
Cleo vanished from her tent at a camping spot near Carnarvon on Western Australia’s northwest coast on October 16, with police believing she was abducted.
Rob Wilde (detective superintendent) said that it is unlikely that the suspect who took the child from him has crossed into another country.
Although police are looking at all possible avenues to determine if the little girl could be ‘anywhere’ now, the top cop stated it’s more likely Cleo remains on home soil.
Cleo Smith, the top cop investigating the disappearance of Cleo Smith, has stated that he believes that the little girl is still in her home state.
Rob Wilde, Detective Superintendent of Police (pictured), said that he believes it unlikely that the person who took the four-year old girl has crossed into another state.
He told the West Australian, “It’s always possible, but it’s more probable that someone has taken Cleo that would still be in Western Australia,”
‘If they had crossed the border, it would imply that someone from the Eastern States had committed the offence, when it’s more likely that — if that is what’s happened – the offender would be from here.’
Supt Wilde stated that West Australian police were in contact across the country with jurisdictions to ensure the little girl does not slip through the cracks.
He stated that Cleo’s photos, posters, and descriptions have been widely publicized throughout the country, but that there are no credible sightings or leads to indicate that she was taken interstate.
According to the detective, if Cleo was abducted, the perpetrator would have been bold and brazen to take her while she slept beside her family.
He stated that it would be ‘opportunistic’ for the abductor not to take Cleo out of the tent within hours after her family arrived at campsite.
While police continue to explore ‘all avenues” with the belief that the little girl could be “anywhere”, a top cop said it’s more likely Cleo (pictured below) is still on home soil.
Cleo (pictured here with her mother Ellie Smith), vanished from a tent on a camping site near Carnarvon, on the northwest coast in Western Australia, on October 16
A veteran detective said that if Cleo had been abducted (pictured), the person behind it would be bold and brazen to take her while she slept beside her family.
Cleo was reported missing by her parents at 6 am on Saturday. Her parents woke up to find her sleeping bag and her clothes gone.
She was sharing the tent as a guest with her stepdad, mother, and baby sister Isla. Cleo’s red-and-grey sleeping bag is still missing.
Police are still not sure if the little girl was taken by an individual or a group of accomplices. Additional detectives have been sent from Perth to assist in the search.
Supt Wilde claimed that the family saw nothing suspicious when they arrived on the campsite. There was also no evidence that Cleo had been within the beach shacks, which are a short distance from Cleo’s campsite.
He appealed to anyone with information about the four-year old’s bizarre disappearance to come forward to claim the $1million reward.
He said, “If not for the fact that there is a small child missing then for the monetary rewards available,”
After police were seen at the family’s home on Saturday, they stated that they are investigating all avenues.
She was sleeping in the tent alongside her stepdad, mother and baby sister Isla (pictured), who was still in her crib when she disappeared
Supt Wilde asked anyone with information on the 4-year-old’s mysterious disappearance to come forward and claim $1million.
They are investigating the possibility that Cleo may have been in the home before the tent was taken. This would indicate that the abduction was premeditated.
Police have not entered the house after spotting a green spray that was used to detect fingerprints on the fence.
Cleo’s mom also posted on her Instagram: ‘Please come back to me. Any information, no matter how small. Find my little girl.
Although detectives have confirmed that there were known sex offenders in the area at Cleo’s disappearance, they are not currently looking for any suspects.
Crime Stoppers is available at 1800 333 000 for any information.