The investigation over the alleged kidnapping of Cleo Smith has begun.
The forensic investigators have raided a property in Carnarvon, Western Australia where Cleo was successfully rescued.
The four-year-old girl, who went missing from a campsite near Carnarvon more than two weeks ago, was found ‘alive and well’ at the alleged abductor’s house in the early hours of October 3rd.
The alleged kidnapper named Terrence Kelly, 36 has now been taken into police custody where he is currently being interrogated by detectives.
Kelly, who isn’t related or connected to the Smith family, has not yet been charged at the time of this writing.
According to 9News Perth, the investigation of the abduction that shocked the world has started.
News correspondent Michael Thompson said that ‘the investigation is only just beginning in many ways’, adding that the forensic team is ‘very busy’ collecting evidence.
Reporting from outside the alleged kidnapper’s house, Thompson said that he saw ‘dozens of bags’ being taken into police cars, including a huge, rolled-up rug.
A number of officers and investigators are reportedly expected to be at the property for ‘not just for days, but possibly weeks, going through everything they find inside this house,’ 9news reported.
Thompson added that there was ‘nothing really unusual’ about the site, where it’s reportedly believed Cleo could have been kept for 18 days.
Meanwhile, Terrence’s neighbor, Sahntayah McKenzie, told The West Australian his shock at Cleo’s discovery:
“Not last night, the night before it, I heard a little girl crying but I wouldn’t expect it to be Cleo,” McKenzie said. “I didn’t expect it would happen in this little neighborhood, a lot of people know each other.”
Another unnamed neighbor reportedly saw Kelly buying diapers at Woolworths, which he thought was weird because he knew that that the man has no kids.
Commissioner Dawson has said that the investigation into Cleo’s alleged kidnapping is currently ongoing.