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Thread: Cleo Smith (4) Disappeared Overnight 16 Oct 2021 From Her Family's Tent At A Campsite In Macleod, Western Australia

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Cleo Smith (4) Disappeared Overnight 16 Oct 2021 From Her Family's Tent At A Campsite In Macleod, Western Australia

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-...rvon/100544980

    Police are launching a major search for a 4-year-old girl missing from a campsite in Western Australia's North West.



    Cleo Smith was last seen at 1:30am in her family's tent at the Blowholes Shacks in Macleod, about 75 kilometres north of Carnarvon by road.

    But when her family woke up at 6:00am, she was missing.

    Cleo was last seen wearing a pink and purple one-piece sleepsuit with a blue-and-yellow pattern.

    It is believed land and air assets will join the search shortly.

    The campsite is close to the blowholes at Point Quobba.

    Social media posts requesting help in the search have been shared thousands of times.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact police immediately on 131 444.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    This vid will give you an idea of the area. The "Blowhole Shacks" are shacks that were built by holiday makers decades ago & there's an ongoing battle over whether they should be demolished



    It's pretty concerning that they haven't found her given the terrain, there's no forest she could get lost in. That said, no way do I believe a 4 yr old went for a stroll alone in the dark at a campsite. Sunrise was at 5.50am & she was discovered missing around 6am, so if she did get up & leave the tent alone (which I still doubt) there was only around a 10 min window before they noticed she was missing


    Jump to about 5.15 for the shack area





    Edit :


    I think this is mum & dad (or possibly stepdad)


    https://m.facebook.com/ellie.smith.908?fref=nf

    https://m.facebook.com/jake.gliddon.12
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    Last edited by blighted star; 10-15-2021 at 08:55 PM.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    It's 5pm in WA right now & they haven't found her yet

    At this point I'm pretty sure Jake is her stepdad but he's been in Cleo's life since she was a toddler. I guess the best scenario after all these hours have passed is that her bio dad or his family somehow have her

    Anyway, just adding insta accts for them both.

    https://www.instagram.com/elliejaydee23/

    https://www.instagram.com/jakegliddon/

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/cleo-...ng-b882042009z

    Cleo Smith: Desperate search at Blowholes campsite in Carnarvon for missing girl to go until last light
    Phoebe Pin & Briana Fiore
    The West Australian
    Sat, 16 October 2021 8:21PM



    A desperate search for a missing girl at the Blowholes campsite in Carnarvon will continue until last light this evening.

    A desperate search for a missing four-year-old girl who vanished early this morning from a camp site north of Carnarvon will continue until last light this evening.

    Police say part of the search operation on land will continue overnight but that other land, marine and air assets will resume tomorrow morning.

    Cleo Smith was last seen about 1.30am but had vanished from the family tent at Blowholes campsite about 50km north of Carnarvon at 6am when her parents woke.

    She was last seen wearing a bright pink pyjama suit with blue florals and yellow butterflies and her disappearance has been described as ?very unusual?.

    In a Facebook post that has been shared more than 21,000 times, the little girl?s mum Ellie said: ?Please if you see anything unusual or suspicious call the police. We are currently searching high and low with police, SES and locals.?

    Carnarvon Shire president Eddie Smith said the tight-knit community was deeply saddened by the news and was helping with the search.

    He said the family were well-known locals. ?Everybody is hoping for the best,? Mr Smith said.

    The Blowholes north of Carnarvon.

    The Blowholes north of Carnarvon. Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West Australian

    Police and SES land, sea and air search crews have been deployed to the area and have been searching up and down the coastline and around the camping site.

    Coral Coast Helicopter Services said it was also helping with the search.

    The area is a popular camping spot but can be dangerous for unsuspecting tourists.

    A tourism page has described the Blowholes as having ?powerful ocean swells? and ?jets of water? that can sometimes erupt as high as 20m in the air.

    Another site warns that the area has ?large sharks? that frequently come close to shore.

    However, the area has also been described as generally safe to go swimming.

    Anyone with information has been urged to immediately contact police on 131 444.


    https://twitter.com/BaumgartelSteph/...woJcFrRWw&s=19
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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    This is sounding really, really bad - the reporter in the vid at this link is saying they've heard reports that when Cleo's mum woke up, Cleo and her sleeping bag were both gone.

    They interview the "Carnarvon Shire president" on camera & he also says he believes she may have a sleeping bag with her. (I have no idea wtf his title means, at first I thought maybe it was the West Aus version of a Mayor, but then I remembered their capital city has a pretty high profile/notorious Mayor, so I guess that's not it). He's been quoted by quite a few different media orgs so I guess he's acting as a community spokesperson either way

    https://www.9news.com.au/national/we...f-7a732f6b5dbd


    I grabbed a few screenshots from the vid to give a better idea of the immediate area. The tents in the screenshot appeared on screen when the reporter mentioned the family's tent, so I assume it's their campsite
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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Just adding a few maps for some perspective.

    Western Australia is roughly 4 times the size of Texas but Texas has about 10 x WA's population, which makes remote areas of WA even more remote. So on the plus side, if there are cams in the area they won't have many vehicles to rule out.

    Unfortunately it also means there probably won't be many witnesses. In normal times there'd be a lot of interstate tourists travelling the coast, especially grey nomads, but covid has severely restricted travel across state borders, so there'll be far fewer potential witnesses driving in the area


    The structures in the last shot are from salt mining at Macleod


    https://www.globalcivilandmining.com...e-macleod.html
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    Blighted, do you have any suspicions about the family?

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    What do you care? Boston Babe 73's Avatar
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    This reminds me of that other case. I can't think of the name of the kid, but almost exactly the same thing happened and he still hasn't been found. I figured the family in that case too.
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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raisedbywolves View Post
    Blighted, do you have any suspicions about the family?

    I mean, I guess it's on the list of possibles as it is with any missing kid, but I don't have any particular reason to suspect these parents, & if the sleeping bag claim is true then I'm more concerned someone else took her.

    The partner & his family seem to be heavily into fishing & they've been to this spot many times in the past. I feel like if they were trying to cover up their own crime, then they'd say she did have a habit of wandering off because "missing presumed drowned" on that coastline is completely believable.

    Instead mum's saying it's not at all normal for her to wander off alone.


    Edit : apparently there's supposed to be an update from police later today. I keep forgetting WA's 3 hrs behind Sydney, so it's only 11am there right now. It'll probably be a while before we hear from them.

    I'm not sure how/where they're doing the update but officers from a few different towns in the Gascoyne region are involved in the search so I'll link the Gascoyne FB just in case it's on there later

    https://m.facebook.com/wapolmwg/
    Last edited by blighted star; 10-16-2021 at 07:12 PM.

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    Cousin Greg Angiebla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    This reminds me of that other case. I can't think of the name of the kid, but almost exactly the same thing happened and he still hasn't been found. I figured the family in that case too.
    Deorr Kunz

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    I should also explain, this is why I think that if the parents did something, they'd be trying to convince everyone she often wanders off & likes to go down to the water


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-...-coast/4750754

    Police say a man swept off rocks while fishing near Carnarvon, 1,000 kilometres north of Perth, ignored warning signs that the section of coast was extremely dangerous.

    The man, believed to be a Malaysian tourist, was swept into the ocean while fishing with a friend near Quobba station yesterday morning.


    Senior Constable Barney Hutchison from Water Police says a search involving two boats and a plane will resume this morning to try to find his body.

    He says the area is notorious.

    "He was fishing on the lower ledge at the blowholes and a wave's come in and washed him off the ledge," he said.

    "There is a plaque just near the site to say that three other people have died near the blowholes near that particular point. There is also a life ring there saying the coastline is very dangerous in that area.


    These are signs along that stretch of coast.

    "Yet they have walked past that and gone down to the lower ledge and gone fishing."

    Carnarvon Sea Rescue commander Gary Hornhardt says the popular fishing spot is dangerous due to king waves in the area.

    "It's sad to say but we just might be looking for somebody who is not alive anymore," he said.

    "But hopefully, we've all got our fingers crossed and the sea rescue people who went out this morning were all pretty jeered up that they're going to try and find this person."



    This is one of the signs he's talking about




    These are the inquest findings for Foo Kun Khor, the fisherman in that article - his body was never recovered


    https://coronerscourt.wa.gov.au/I/in...3939-2512-3097


    So basically "she wandered down to the water, got washed off the rocks & was never seen again" would be the safest & most believable cover story they could come up with, but her mum's saying she wouldn't wander off & is instead asking people to report anything suspicious


    Edit : of course though, I say all of this while acknowledging my extremely bad track record of giving the benefit of the doubt to people who never deserved it
    Last edited by blighted star; 10-16-2021 at 09:31 PM.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    I saw a post from someone earlier saying they contacted police & officers were going to look at dashcam vid they had of vehicles leaving the area during the period she went missing.

    There's a lot of bullshit being posted so I wasn't sure if it was legit, but now it looks like it could be


    https://7news.com.au/news/wa/police-...site-c-4260408

    Police searching cars and caravans in desperate search for little Cleo Smith, missing from Blowholes campsite
    Gus Bruno
    7NEWS
    Published: 17/10/2021
    Updated: Sunday, 17 October 2021 4:17 PM AEDT



    A desperate search for a missing girl at the Blowholes campsite in Carnarvon will continue until last light this evening.

    WA Police, various SES crews and Carnarvon locals are continuing the desperate search for little Cleo Smith who went missing from a campsite in rural Western Australia on Saturday morning.

    The four-year-old girl was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday near the Blowholes Campground at Macleod, about 50km north of Carnarvon.

    Watch the video above for more on the search efforts


    A full land search took place on Saturday before police scaled back efforts overnight until it was safe to resume on Sunday.


    Cleo Smith was last seen at 1.30am on Saturday. By 6am, she had vanished. Her disappearance has been described as ?very unusual?.


    Some land resources continued the search overnight before the rescue mission resumed at first light on Sunday with the aid of marine and air assets.

    Land, air and sea crews are continuing to lead the search up and down the coastline and around the campgrounds where Cleo?s family had been staying.


    Up to 60 caravans and tents are estimated to have been set up at the popular campsite during the recent school holidays.

    According the The West Australian, police have on Sunday been searching cars and caravans inside the campsite where little Cleo went missing.

    <<snipped>>

    State Emergency Service crews from Carnarvon, Shark Bay, Kalbarri and Geraldton are searching the harsh area near the Blowholes campsite.

    Locals from the tight-knit Carnarvon community and other campers have also joined the search.

    <<snipped>>

    Anyone with information is asked to contact police immediately on 131 444.


    Edit :


    They held the press conference at the campground.

    Police confirmed her sleeping bag is also missing.

    He said he's not at liberty to discuss what other items might be missing with her at this time.

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...m_source=group
    Last edited by blighted star; 10-16-2021 at 10:43 PM.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Missed this earlier, it's a tweet from a WA crime reporter. I thought police were just checking cctv for roads leading away from Quobba Station, but this is a pretty wide net they're throwing

    https://twitter.com/joe_yer99/status...Pnop0FCdA&s=19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    https://thewest.com.au/news/disaster...ng-b882042726z


    Homicide detectives join search for Cleo Smith at Blowholes in Gascoyne
    Phoebe Pin
    The West Australian
    Mon, 18 October 2021 9:12AM




    A team of detectives joined the desperate search for a missing four-year-old girl yesterday as police revealed they hold 'grave concerns' for her and are 'not ruling anything out' - including a possible abduction.

    Cleo Smith vanished from her family's tent early on Saturday morning during a camping trip at the Blowholes, about 70km north of Carnarvon.

    Police say her parents had an 'interaction' with their little girl about 1.30am but when they woke about 6am she was gone. Details of the interaction have not been revealed.

    Insp. Jon Munday said the circumstances of the case were 'extremely concerning' and that the State's 'best investigators', including detectives from Perth, had arrived to join the search. According to Nine News, the detectives are from the homicide squad.

    'We are gravely concerned for the safety of Cleo,' Insp. Munday said.

    'At this point in time, we don't have any answers as to where Cleo is.

    'We are trying to cover all our bases and we are not ruling anything out.'

    Insp. Munday said it had been 'reported that there is a sleeping bag missing' but that he was 'not at liberty at this point to divulge what else we believe might be missing'.



    The search for Cleo continues. Credit: Phoebe Pin/Geraldton Guardian


    Asked about the 'nightmare' scenario that Cleo had been abducted, he said 'that's the reason by going hard as early as we possibly can, and we are throwing as many different things at this as we possibly can.

    'We've gathered a lot of information and a lot of intelligence from things like dash cams, CCTV cameras around the place, CCTV at roadhouses,' he said. 'We are trying to paint a picture of who was around here during the window of opportunity between the early hours of Saturday morning and 6am ... as to who was around and what leads they can give us.'



    Dozens of campers cut their stay at the Blowholes short yesterday, with police searching caravans and cars leaving the area and capturing their identities.

    But Insp. Munday said police were loath to have 'tunnel vision on one particular scenario'.

    He said the possibility of Cleo wandering off from the tent on her own was also 'very concerning' because of the 'fairly harsh environment'.

    'Everything is on the table, we are looking at everything, and hopefully ruling them out as we progress through the investigation,' he said.



    SES crews scour the coastline. Credit: Phoebe Pin/Geraldton Guardian


    In a heartbreaking 1.45am Facebook update that yesterday had been shared more than 64,000 times, Cleo's mum Ellie Smith said: 'It's been over 24 hours since I have last seen the sparkle in my little girl's eyes! Please help me find her!'

    On Saturday, Ms Smith described her daughter's disappearance as 'very unusual'.

    'Please if you see anything unusual or suspicious call the police,' she said. 'We are currently searching high and low with police, SES and locals.'



    Cleo Smith with mum Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon. Credit: Dominiques Visuals/Dominiques Visuals


    It is understood the well-known local family are familiar with the area and often go there to camp.

    Cleo's disappearance sparked a major land, air and sea search, with dozens of State Emergency Service volunteers, aircraft, drones and volunteer marine search-and-rescue personnel scouring the area for signs of the little girl.

    A search-and-rescue jet was also involved in the search on Saturday night, using equipment to detect 'heat signatures'. Thick scrub separated the rough waters from the tent, which was taped off by police.



    Cleo Smith was last seen about 1.30am Saturday morning but had vanished from the tent by 6am. Credit: Phoebe Pin/Geraldton Guardian


    Insp. Munday said police were looking at anywhere up to about 5.2km from Cleo's last known position, saying the large search area was 'very, very formidable' for searchers to walk let alone for a four-year-old.

    But he said the mild weather at the Blowholes was conducive for survival.

    'We are fairly confident that if Cleo was around here, that we will find her,' he said.



    Cleo was last seen wearing a pink-purple one-piece sleepsuit with a blue and yellow pattern.

    Insp. Munday said he was 'heartened' by the public response to the investigation and that information was flowing through from a '1000km radius' of Carnarvon. But police admitted that the family was 'distraught' over the girl's disappearance.

    The area is a popular camping spot but can be dangerous for unsuspecting tourists.

    A tourism page describes the Blowholes as having 'powerful ocean swells' and 'jets of water' that can sometimes erupt as high as 20m in the air.

    Anyone with information should contact police immediately on 131 444.


    So they've had homicide detectives on scene since at least yesterday.

    I feel like if she was sighted alive & well by other campers before the family went to bed, then police have already ruled out family involvement - because there'd either be evidence of their vehicle moving overnight, or they would've found her by now because she'd have to be within walking distance of the tent
    Last edited by blighted star; 10-17-2021 at 04:32 PM.

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    They're bringing in Aboriginal trackers, hopefully there's still enough there for them to read

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...98ca05ab1e0a01

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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/dis...ng-b882043751z

    Cleo Smith: Police release image of sleeping bag and confirm they are searching beach shacks
    Peter Devlin

    October 18, 2021 5:55PM


    Police have released an image of a sleeping bag which resembles the one missing girl Cleo Smith was last seen sleeping in.

    The four-year-old was staying in a tent with her family at the Blowholes Campground in Macleod, near Carnarvon, when she was reported missing on Saturday morning. Her sleeping bag was also reported missing.

    Police said Cleo?s family woke to find her gone about 6am, having last seen her inside the tent about 1.30am on Saturday.

    Emergency crews launched an extensive land, air and sea search but have so far found no trace of Cleo.


    Search crews are scouring an area up to about 5.2 kilometres from Cleo?s last known location.

    On Monday afternoon police released in image of the sleeping bag, and confirmed they are searching a number of ?shacks? along the coastline at the campsite.

    ?Cleo was last seen sleeping in a red and black sleeping bag and was wearing a pink/purple one-piece sleep-suit with a blue and yellow pattern,? police said.

    ?Cleo was last seen sleeping in a red and black sleeping bag and was wearing a pink/purple one-piece sleep-suit with a blue and yellow pattern,? police said.

    ?Grave concerns are held for Cleo?s safety. WA Police are exploring all possibilities and have a number of investigative resources to assist including detectives from the Homicide Squad as well as Forensics and local detectives.

    ?Police are searching a number of shacks today (Monday) that are located along the coastline at the campsite.?

    Cleo is approximately 110 centimetres tall with honey blonde coloured hair and hazel eyes.

    Anyone with information is urged to call police on 131 444.
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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    https://thewest.com.au/news/disaster...ng-b882044042z

    Missing Cleo Smith?s biological father speaks with police following Blowholes Campground disappearance

    Mon, 18 October 2021 9:51PM


    Cleo Smith?s biological father was today interviewed by police, 7NEWS has reported.

    The Mandurah man spent almost three hours at the Mandurah police station, accompanied by his parents.

    It's understood he was asked to provide a statement to police and did so willingly.

    The West Australian is not suggesting he was involved in Cleo's disappearance.

    The four-year old was last seen around 1.30am on Saturday but had vanished from the family tent at the Blowholes Campground in Macleod, near Carnarvon, when her parents awoke at 6.30am.

    Speaking from the campsite this afternoon, WA Police Inspector Jon Munday said the search grew more urgent with ?every hour? that Cleo was missing.

    Homicide detectives join search for Cleo Smith at Blowholes in Gascoyne

    ?With a four-year-old out in this environment? there is limited water supply, it is warm, there is very limited shelter so it is very, very concerning,? he said.

    But he advised other campers and tourists in the area need not be worried about their own safety.

    ?I think people just need to be aware of their surroundings, just be aware of who?s around, what their kids are doing, what their family is doing and just look out for each other,? he said.

    ?We have no indication that anyone else in this area is under some sort of threat.?

    Insp. Munday said he could not comment on whether the tent was zipped up when it was discovered Cleo was missing, if the girl?s biological father had been contacted by investigators, or if any tracks had been found around the campsite.

    Homicide detectives and forensics experts arrived from Perth yesterday to help with the search, which extended to the shacks at the Blowholes campsite.

    The family tent has now been removed but the area is still taped off.

    Insp. Munday said the marine arm of the investigation had been ?scaled back? as no sign of Cleo has been found in the water.

    ?I can?t comment on specifics of what we have uncovered and what we haven?t uncovered but we have got the best people we can on this and we are going to leave no stone unturned until we have some answers,? he said.

    Cleo is approximately 110 centimetres tall with honey blonde coloured hair and hazel eyes.

    Anyone with information is urged to call police on 131 444.

    Last edited by blighted star; 10-18-2021 at 03:25 AM.

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    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    I'm hoping for the best outcome, that she is alive, but it's doubtful. I feel like the mom or stepdad COULD have something to do with it...leaning more toward the stepdad. He could've gotten rid of the sleeping bag due to evidence left on it. It seems like they are pretty close to the water, maybe he threw her and her sleeping bag in.


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    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Arrow

    It's not sounding good at the moment. Media & police are all being really sympathetic to the family, which is something that definitely doesn't always happen in missing kid cases here. It reminds me of how they were with William Tyrrell's foster family, though I guess part of it could be that until they have a definite reason not to, they just treat "respectable" families better than others


    The media focus really seems to be turning to abduction now


    https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/dis...ng-b882044119z

    Cleo Smith search: Family friends warn little girl ?would not have wandered off?
    Kristin Shorten and Phoebe Pin

    October 19, 2021 12:19AM

    A whip-smart four-year-old who vanished from a tent in the early hours of Saturday morning ?would not have wandered off,? according to family friends.

    Cleo Smith was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday in the tent her family was sharing at the Blowholes camp site in Macleod, about 70km north of Carnarvon.

    Missing Cleo?s biological father speaks with police
    Water search for missing Cleo scaled back

    Cleo?s mum Ellie Smith and partner Jake Gliddon had put her to bed on Friday night before ?interacting? with her again at 1.30am.

    But when they woke about 6.30am, she was gone.

    A large-scale land, air and sea search has since failed to find any trace of Cleo, who has made repeat visits to the Blowholes ? 960km north of Perth ? with her mum since she was a baby.


    Police now hold ?grave fears? for her safety amid growing concerns she has been abducted and all officers around the State are on alert to find the missing toddler.

    Homicide detectives and forensics experts from Perth were ?going a million miles an hour? to find the child or identify her possible kidnapper.

    On Monday afternoon police released an image of her red and black Wanderer sleeping bag and confirmed they were combing a number of ?shacks? along the coastline at the camp site.

    Police have also been examining CCTV and dashcam footage in a bid to determine which cars had been in the region before and after Cleo disappeared.

    Even a tourism helicopter business joined the frantic search.

    Speaking from the scene, WA Police Insp. Jon Munday said he could not comment on whether the tent was zipped up when it was discovered Cleo was missing, or if any tracks had been found around the camp site.

    ?I can?t comment on specifics of what we have uncovered and what we haven?t uncovered but we have got the best people we can on this and we are going to leave no stone unturned until we have some answers,? he said.

    Insp. Munday also refused to confirm or deny reports some campers heard the sound of a car skidding as it took off from the area about 3am on Saturday or whether police suspected Cleo had been abducted.

    ?We are not ruling that out. We are not going to get blinkered or sort of assume that something has happened,? he said.

    ?At this point in time, unfortunately, everything is still on the table.?

    He added that all police stations were aware of the investigation and looking for things ?that would trigger some suspicion?.

    7NEWS reported Cleo's biological father Daniel Staines was interviewed by police on Monday.


    Cleo Smith's biological father is seen leaving Mandurah Police station on Monday afternoon. Credit: 7NEWS/7NEWS

    The Mandurah man spent almost three hours at the Mandurah Police Station, accompanied by his parents.

    It's understood he willingly provided a statement to police and The West Australian is not suggesting he was involved in Cleo's disappearance.

    Cleo?s mum moved to Carnarvon in January 2019 before meeting her current partner.

    The mum of two is a local eyelash and eyebrow technician with a soap and candle-making side candle-making side business.

    She and her partner, Mr Gliddon, bought a house for their growing family in April.

    Cleo?s stepdad is a keen fisherman who regularly shares his impressive catches on social media.

    The shocked Carnarvon community has rallied around the young family, who have remained at the camp site in the hope their little girl returns.

    The family tent has now been removed but the area remains cordoned off.

    ?She is an intellectually advanced little girl,? said a family friend.

    SES crews searching the area near the Blowholes campsite on Sunday. Credit: Phoebe Pin

    ?She is a smart little girl and she would not have wandered.?

    Rain is expected on Tuesday, which could hinder aspects of the search, but Insp. Munday said authorities had made plans to keep searching for at least another 48 hours.

    ?We will not leave here until we are satisfied, we have searched the area and we can walk away with our hand on our heart and say we have done the best to find Cleo,? he said.

  21. #21
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    They searched for William Tyrrell for 7 days before police started strongly acknowledging the possibility of stranger abduction. They've done it from day 1 with Cleo, which makes me wonder about the other info police have said they're "not at liberty to discuss"

    It'll be 3 days at 1.30am tonight & they've already got interstate police, thousands of kms away to issue public alerts


    https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/dis...ng-b882044556z


    Cleo Smith search: Interstate agencies join push to find missing child last seen at Blowholes camp site

    Sarah Steger

    October 19, 2021 12:56PM



    WA Police have issued a national appeal for information relating to the disappearance of Cleo Smith, who vanished from her family?s tent at a popular camp site north of Carnarvon on Saturday morning.

    With the search for the four-year-old entering its fourth day, police say they can?t rule anything out, including that little Cleo was abducted and taken interstate.

    Inspector Jon Munday sold Sunrise this morning that one of the scenarios investigators were considering was that ?Cleo has been taken, and has been removed from the area?.



    ?It?s three days down the track now, she potentially could be anywhere,? he said before revealing authorities? grave concerns had led them to notify interstate police agencies.

    ?We?re calling for the public?s assistance anywhere. We?re keen to get this messaging out nationally to anybody,? he said.

    Wild weather including heavy rain and winds hamper desperate effort at the Blowholes
    Family friends warn little girl ?would not have wandered off?


    ?She could be anywhere by now which is really concerning.

    ?That?s why time is really of the essence here and we?re throwing everything we can at it.?


    Last night New South Wales Police Force asked Facebook users to ?Please keep a look out for four-year-old Cleo Smith missing from Western Australia?.


    The alert was shared with several pictures of Cleo as well as the pink outfit she was last seen in and her sleeping bag, which has also vanished.



    Queensland Police Service told social media users that WA Police ?asked us to share an appeal for information on missing four-year-old Cleo Smith?.

    ?She was last seen on Saturday at a camp site near Carnarvon in Western Australia. If you have any information please contact 131444,?


    Victoria Police urged anyone who has seen the four-year-old to contact police immediately on 131 444.

    ?Western Australia Police Force are seeking assistance from the public the help locate Cleo who was last seen at 1.30am, Saturday 16 October 2021 at the Blowholes campsite in WA,? their Facebook post stated.

    Strong winds forced search teams to put their desperate efforts to find Cleo on hold this morning, with gusts of 75km/h and heavy rainfall preventing volunteers and authorities alike from continuing the major land and air operation that has been under way since Saturday.

    It comes after the marine arm of the large-scale land, air and sea search was ?scaled back? as no sign of Cleo had been found in the water.

    Insp. Munday this morning said Cleo?s disappearance was ?really really concerning?, and described the complex case with many moving parts as ?a mystery we?re trying to unravel?.

    He said there were ?quite a lot of people? at the Blowholes campground the night Cleo went missing and that police were ?tracking and tracing all of those people at the moment?.

    Cleo was last seen about 1.30am on Saturday in the tent her family was sharing at the Blowholes camp site in Macleod, about 70km north of Carnarvon.

    The little girl?s mum Ellie Smith and partner Jake Gliddon had put her to bed on Friday night before ?interacting? with her again at 1.30am.

    When they woke about 6.30am she was gone.

    Cleo?s biological father Daniel Staines was interviewed by officers at Mandurah Police Station yesterday, where he provided a statement.

    There is no suggestion he is involved in his child?s disappearance.

  22. #22
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Police organised a press conference with the parents yesterday, parts of it are in this ABC News report




    & today police have confirmed that some campers reported hearing a vehicle take off from the campsite at about 3am. They were refusing to confirm or deny that detail until now


    Also in this article the police spokesperson says no one outside the family saw her at the campsite before she went missing. But he does say there's other evidence that "assures" them she was there - whatever that means




    https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/dis...ng-b882046079z

    Cleo Smith search: Police confirm camper reports of 'screeching tyres' on morning girl went missing

    Sarah Steger

    October 20, 2021 12:25PM

    Police involved in the desperate search for missing girl Cleo Smith at a campsite in Carnarvon say they 'haven't ruled out' reports from campers who heard the sound of screeching tyres in the early hours of Saturday morning.

    It comes as WA Police also reveal they have received information 'from around the world' relating to the missing girl since she vanished.

    As the search for the Carnarvon youngster enters its fifth day - and hopes she will be found alive dwindle further - Assistant Commissioner Darryl Gaunt stressed police were not leaving any stone unturned in the desperate rescue effort.


    The SES and Army Reserve prepare to search bushland today. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian


    'It is better to over respond then withdraw resources,' he said on 6PR this morning.

    'We are getting information from around the world.'

    Mr Gaunt confirmed there had been reports by campers who were staying at Blowholes campground of the sound of screeching tyres early Saturday morning.

    'We haven't ruled it out - it is a little bit unsubstantiated, but we haven't ruled it out,' he said.


    Signage posted on a speed sign on the road into the Blowholes. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian


    'We have a lot of information from people within or who have been in the area.

    'They have reported certain noises or activities - most have been explained.'

    It came after he admitted no members of the public actually saw Cleo at the Blowholes campsite day before she vanished.



    'No one has actually seen her - as far as from a public perspective,' Mr Gaunt said.

    'But we do have other evidence that would assure us she was there, so nothing to say she wasn't there at this stage.'

    With the marine arm of the extensive land, air and sea search operation cancelled on Monday, after no sign of Cleo entering the water was found, fears are mounting the child was snatched from her family's tent.

    With the marine arm of the extensive land, air and sea search operation cancelled on Monday, after no sign of Cleo entering the water was found, fears are mounting the child was snatched from her family's tent.

    But despite growing suspicions of an abduction, Mr Gaunt said they didn't want to make assumptions.



    'We are just making sure that we search by air, land and sea,' he said.

    'We keep doing that until we know we have searched two, three times.

    'We will keep searching.'

    Police, officers from the mounted section, Army Reserve personnel and SES volunteers resumed their land search about 7.30am today after their efforts were disrupted yesterday morning due to strong winds and heavy rainfall.

    During the extensive search, several cabins and shacks near the Blowholes, which house long-term residents, were searched.

    Campers who were staying at the tourist spot around the time Cleo vanished have also been tracked and traced by police.

    It is understood footage has also been taken from a number of businesses around the area, including the Minilya Roadhouse, 170km north of Quobba on North West Coastal Highway.

    A police source told The West Australian cattle grids in the area, equipped with technology that takes automated images of vehicles as they pass over them, are also being used to paint a clearer picture of who was in the area when Cleo vanished without a trace.
    The cattle grid cam info is an interesting detail. I had no idea they even existed. I guess cattle grids have gone high tech since I was a kid
    Last edited by blighted star; 10-19-2021 at 06:13 PM.

  23. #23
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    Read up a bit on cattle grid cams & now I'm assuming this is some of the evidence that "assures" police she was at the camp site

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/catt...19-p591dt.html

    Cattle grid cameras and CCTV: Eyes watching WA?s remote north could help find missing girl

    Western Australia?s northern coastline is among the most remote in the country, its sparse landscape and endless horizons making it seem the perfect place for a person to disappear without a trace.

    But the region has its own unique set of eyes and ears in unlikely places.

    As the search for missing four-year-old girl Cleo Smith enters its fifth day, investigators are methodically painting a picture of who was in the area the weekend the young girl was feared to be snatched from her family?s tent while camping north of Carnarvon.

    Along the one sealed road and smaller limestone tracks out of the Quobba Blowholes campsite where Cleo was last seen are dozens of cattle grids, designed to stop station cattle from straying onto another section of land.

    As a vehicle passes over the grids, some take an automated photo of the car?s number plate ? an initiative station owners use to deter cattle theft.

    The images could form an unlikely part in the police investigation into whether someone took Cleo, or whether she wandered off in the middle of the night without a trace.

    The Minilya Roadhouse, 170 kilometres north of Quobba, also records every vehicle which passes along the North West Coastal Highway, the only road north out of the region.

    Police seized CCTV from the roadhouse on Monday, the same day investigators recruited renowned Perth criminologist David Keatley, to assist with whether someone could have taken Cleo.

    <<snipped>>

  24. #24
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    A journo with a mainstream WA tv station just tweeted this

    https://twitter.com/MiaEgerton/statu...Nmo8tEPMw&s=19
    Attached Images Attached Images

  25. #25
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
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    & another one with more detail

    https://twitter.com/Ben_Downie/statu...pLSo_dFJw&s=19
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