Vigils to be held across Australia for murdered 5-year-old girl

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Vigils to be held across Australia for murdered 5-year-old girl5 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleHelen LivingstoneSydneyBBC: Katy WatsonA flower tribute to Kumanjayi Little Baby, who was found dead near Alice Springs last weekWarning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: this article contains references to and images of someone who has died. Vigils are to be held across Australia on Thursday to remember a 5-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered two weeks ago. The body of the girl, known as Kumanjayi Little Baby for cultural reasons, was found on 30 April, five days after she went missing from an Aboriginal town camp near Alice Springs.

Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder, which sparked riots in Alice Springs amid an outpouring of grief and anger. The public has been invited to join candlelit vigils in the Northern Territory (NT) town and other state capitals and cities late on Thursday afternoon. Her family has encouraged those attending to wear pink, Kumanjayi Little Baby's favourite colour.

The Details

Northern Territory PoliceA picture of Kumanjayi Little Baby, used with the permission of her familyThe vigil in Alice Springs will be held at the Anzac sports oval at 17. It will create "a space for everyone to channel their grief and show their support to family", town mayor Asta Hill said in a social media post. Vigils will also be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Darwin, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart, as well as many other smaller towns.

Kumanjayi Little Baby was last seen when she was put to bed just before midnight on 25 April at the Old Timers Camp - a site set aside by the government for Aboriginal people to stay in when in Alice Springs. She was reported missing several hours later, prompting a large-scale search for the child, who was non-verbal. On Thursday, police found her body several kilometres from the camp.

Hours later, Lewis - who had been attacked by community members - was arrested and taken to a hospital in Alice Springs for treatment. A riot erupted outside the hospital, with police later arresting five people over the violence. Kumanjayi Little Baby's family called for calm amid the unrest.

Family member and senior Yapa (Warlpiri) elder Robin Granites called for the public to allow justice to take its course and to show respect for the family as it observed "sorry business", a period of collective mourning within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. On Wednesday, three child protection workers were stood down after an investigation into the circumstances leading up to Kumanjayi Little Baby's disappearance and death. Using the name of deceased people, as well as broadcasting their image or voice, breaches cultural protocols around mourning in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and cannot be done without the permission of their families.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.