Warning: This story contains images of a deceased Indigenous person.
Jefferson Lewis, the man accused of murdering a five-year-old girl in Alice Springs, has been excused from attending his first court appearance this morning.
Lewis, who is facing one charge of murder and two other charges that cannot be published, was set to appear before Judge Anthony Hopkins in the Alice Springs Local Court via an audio-visual link but was excused at his lawyer’s request.
The court hearing proceeded in his absence with prosecutors requesting a lengthy adjournment to compile an extensive brief of evidence, according to the ABC.
The matter is due to be heard again on July 30.
The 47-year-old, who remains in custody in Darwin, was represented by Legal Aid NT.
Lewis is accused of taking the child, now known as Kumanjayi Little Baby, from an Indigenous town camp called Old Timers, late on April 25.
The little girl’s disappearance sparked a massive land and air search across central Australia.
Her body was found about five kilometres away, on the banks of the Todd River, just before noon on Thursday.
That night, Lewis was arrested at another Alice Springs town camp after being beaten unconscious by locals.
He was placed under guard at Alice Springs Hospital, where a large, angry crowd gathered while demanding he face traditional justice.
Lewis’s arrest sparked violent riots in which five emergency workers were injured, police vehicles and ambulances were damaged and local businesses were destroyed and ransacked.
Police were forced to evacuate Lewis to Darwin for his own protection in the early hours of Friday morning.
Following his police interview on Saturday, Lewis was charged with the murder of Kumanjayi Little Baby and other serious offences.
More to come.
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
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