WA Police forensics officers have returned to the Blowholes campsite where Cleo Smith was last seen.
Key points:
- Officers could be seen taking soil samples from campfires at the site
- They also returned to the family’s Carnarvon home
- Police say not all businesses have handed over their CCTV footage
The four-year-old is believed to have been abducted from a tent while camping with her family at a remote campsite north of Carnarvon.
Forensic investigators could be seen on Wednesday collecting soil samples from a number of campfires near the shacks in the area.
And forensics officers have also gone back to the family’s home in Carnarvon.
They returned after spending several hours at the property on Tuesday.
Acting Police Commissioner Col Blanch had said Cleo’s parents had been co-operative.
“We must do a thorough investigation, the parents have been nothing but helpful. We’ve worked very closely with them.
“They’ve let us into their home, let us into their car, phones, everything. That is a normal part of investigation and we must follow it through thoroughly.”
Search for car continues
Information was still being sought about a car that was seen during the early hours of the same morning Cleo was reported missing.
If anyone saw car movements at or around 3am heading south on the coastal highway from Blowholes Road, that is one of our investigative areas of focus.
“It’s not to say we’re saying that is the person.
“But, certainly, driving around at 3am, coming out of there would pique our interest.”
Acting Commissioner Blanch said it was important to have hope that Cleo could be brought home.
Some yet to hand over footage
WA Police have also renewed their plea for businesses in Carnarvon to provide them with any CCTV footage recorded in the days surrounding the disappearance of Cleo on Saturday, October 16.
A spokesman said a lot of footage had been provided.
But, he said, detectives knew there were businesses in Carnarvon that were yet to offer up their footage.
Anyone else who was in the area at the time is also urged to hand over video footage to police.
Case raised in Federal Parliament
Cleo’s case was raised in Federal Parliament, with Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews saying the government was strengthening laws to give agencies greater scope to act in the case of crimes against children.
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“The AFP and federal agencies will always be ready to support [the] work of state police forces when it comes to crimes against children and they are currently doing that in the case of four-year-old Cleo Smith, who disappeared from a campsite in Western Australia,” she said.
“Our thoughts are with the family, and I can assure them that the advanced capabilities of federal law enforcement are being deployed to aid local efforts to find Cleo.”
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said he supported the efforts of the government to give police more powers to combat crimes against children.
“Along with the rest of the House and the rest of Australia, we all want to see young Cleo found safely,” he told Parliament.
