A hunt is underway for a man police suspect abducted a five-year-old girl from her Alice Springs home.
NT Police said Jefferson Lewis, 47, was recently released from prison and was staying at the Alice Springs home at the time of Sharon’s disappearance on 25 April.
The search for the man comes as a massive operation continued to find Sharon, missing from a town camp on the edge of Alice Springs.
It resumed after about 50 police officers, emergency services and a helicopter were unable to locate her on Sunday.
Police are seeking public assistance to locate Jefferson Lewis, who police believed could assist with enquires.
“We do believe Sharon has been abducted,” Acting Commander Mark Grieve said in Darwin on 27 April.
A search was centred on the Old Timers Camp south of the Gap, just outside Alice Springs, and police hold grave fears for Sharon’s welfare.
Around 50 police officers, with additional personnel from emergency services agencies including the State Emergency Services (SES), volunteer firefighters and Norforce members, were searching for the five-year-old, who was last seen in her bedroom around 11.30pm on ANZAC Day.
Around 1.35am on 26 April, police received reports Sharon could not be located at her Marshall Court address in the Old Timers Camp.
Police said Mr Lewis had been staying at the home where Sharon lived and went missing at the same time.
“He is believed to have been in the area around that time and staying at the residence,” Mr Grieve said.
“He currently remains one of the few people who were in Old Timers camp at the time and who has not made themselves known to police, nor have police been able to locate him.”
She was last seen wearing a dark blue short-sleeve T-shirt with a white ring stripe around the neck and white ring stripe around the end of the sleeves, and a pair of black boxer-style underwear.
The man was not in prison for child-related offending before being released, police said.
“Considering himself and Sharon went missing at around about the same time, it certainly brings about those suspicious circumstances, and we’d like to speak to him about that,” Mr Grieve said.
“If he is involved, we certainly hope that no harm has come to Sharon.”
Sharon’s mother has been provided with support, he said.
He called for any information from the public that may help locate Sharon.
“Obviously it’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing,” Mr Grieve said.
“We’re over 24 hours now so it’d certainly be my worst nightmare as a parent.”
The Northern Territory Police Tactical Response Group was expected to travel to Alice Springs on Monday morning to assist.
Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersnt.com.au.
After the initial report, general duties police and Strike Force Viper members visited the camp and began a doorknock and searches of the immediate area, Detective Acting Superintendent (DAS) Michael Ordelman told media in Alice Springs on 26 April.
“They expanded the search area once a 500-metre area was cleared.
“The police drone was deployed with thermal imaging but has failed to locate her at this stage,” he said.
“The police helicopter has been deployed and has a police spotter in it.”
A police dog was used in the search, which extended into the dry Todd River DAS Ordelman said.
Additional resources from Search and Rescue section from Darwin were also called in.
The search was particularly difficult due to the amount of thick undergrowth, with searchers almost disappearing in the, at times chest-high long grass.
