Alice Springs missing child: Liberal senator Jacinta Price reveals 5yo Sharon Granites is her family member

Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has revealed she has a personal relationship with five-year-old Sharon Granites, the five-year-old who investigators believe was abducted in the Northern Territory.

Speaking to Sky News host Sharri Markson on Wednesday night, Senator Price revealed that she was “an aunt” to the missing five-year-old, who is suspected to have been led away from the Old Timers Camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs by Jefferson Lewis, 47.

It is understood Mr Lewis also lived at the camp and had recently returned home from a stint in prison.

“She’s part of my extended family. I’m an aunt to her, and I just know the family are absolutely beside themselves,” Senator Price said.

“I have been assisting police where I can when information is brought to me and I think it is really important that people understand that her life is … important.”

The senator said she believed there “has to be” people who know Mr Lewis’ whereabouts.

“I know that sometimes there are those who will support a family member even if they’ve done the wrong thing, and there are concerns that there are people that do know the whereabouts of Jefferson Lewis,” Senator Price said.

“I imagine there has to be, given the amount of time that has gone by. Someone like that can’t just disappear into thin air. Finding him, I believe, is the clue to being able to find Sharon.

“I would urge people to come forward … the most important thing is that Sharon is brought home to family.”

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, NT Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said key pieces of evidence had been seized at the scene of Sharon’s disappearance on Sunday, including a doona cover, a shirt worn by Jefferson Lewis and a pair of children’s underwear.

“Those items have been forensically examined and we should have those results back tomorrow to maybe confirm or deny (whether Sharon was sexually assaulted),” he said.

Mr Malley said there were “people in the community not telling us what we need to hear, and that is really frustrating”.

“We believe there are serious offences being committed and people are withholding information from the police,” he said.

He said he believed people were helping hide Mr Lewis from police.

“Let me be clear about one thing in relation to that, we believe that there are members of the community that absolutely know where Jefferson Lewis is,” he said.

“What I want to say to you is tell us. Tell us what you know. Tell us where he is. Tell us how to contact him.

“If you are withholding information because you are frightened, please have confidence that we will treat that information sensitively.”