Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mum shares emotional tribute: ‘My heart is broken into a million pieces’

WARNING: This story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died.

The mother of Kumanjayi Little Baby has shared a heartbreaking tribute, describing her daughter’s love of Bluey and K-pop music, while revealing her profound grief following the five-year-old’s alleged murder.

In the deeply personal statement, the grieving mother offered a rare glimpse into the child’s short life, including the television shows she loved, the music she listened to and the simple joys she shared with her family.

Kumanjayi Little Baby, as she is now referred to for cultural reasons, vanished from a town camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs on April 25.

Her disappearance triggered a massive police and community search before her body was found near the dry Todd River bed five days later.

Jefferson Lewis, 47, has since been charged with her murder and other offences that cannot be published for legal reasons.

In the statement, published on social media by Alice Springs-based advocacy and consulting organisation Her Story and republished by The Nightly with permission, the little girl’s mother thanked Australians for their support and prayers.

“As a Christian, I would like to thank the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for gifting me with a beautiful baby girl and for choosing me to be her mum,” she wrote.

“And for the precious time that I was her mother here on earth.”

The mother described struggling to comprehend life without her daughter.

“I want you all to know that my heart is broken into a million pieces,” she said.

“And I want you to know that I am having trouble knowing how I can repair it and how I can live without my Little Baby.”

The statement paints a vivid portrait of a much-loved little girl who adored puppies, Minecraft, music and cartoons.

“Kumanjayi Little Baby loved cuddling puppies,” her mother wrote.

“She loved playing games on my phone.

“She loved watching Bluey, and Masha and the Bear.”

The five-year-old also loved listening to Rosé and Bruno Mars’ APT. and Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters and “playing Minecraft with her big brother”.

“When she was a little baby she would smile when she watched CoComelon,” the statement said.

“She was my little princess.

“My princess who loved the colour pink.”

Her mother said the little girl also “loved all the colours of the rainbow” and enjoyed going to “Kindy”.

The emotional statement also contained a plea for her daughter’s death not to be used to justify violence or division.

“For all these reasons, I ask that her short life not be used by politicians for reasons that do not honour and respect her,” she wrote.

“It is wrong for people to use my pain and sorrow from my loss to cause violence or damage to property, or cause injury to police or paramedics like they did.”

The comments reference unrest that erupted in Alice Springs following the girl’s disappearance and death, during which police and emergency services were targeted.

“We must remember that it was the police and others who searched hard to find my little baby,” she wrote.

Instead, the grieving mother said she wanted her daughter remembered “as the pretty girl in pink”.

“A little girl who was truly loved by me, Ramsiah and her family,” she wrote.

“I ask that everyone let me, Ramsiah, our family and the nation grieve without any judgement.”

The statement closes with a message of gratitude to police, volunteers and Australians who supported the family during the search and aftermath of the tragedy.

“Thank you to your Aboriginal Liaison Officers and all the volunteers and the organisations who helped and supported and searched day and night for my baby girl,” she wrote.

The mother said she had been overwhelmed by the support shown not only across Australia, but internationally.

“I am aware that my tragedy has touched people outside of Australia and I say thank you,” she wrote.

“So I ask as I move through my grief, let us all look up to the brightest star in the sky where Kumanjayi Little Baby is, now in heaven, and I ask for everyone to take care of your little ones.”

“With love from me and my son, Ramsiah.

“God bless you all.”

Lewis remains in custody in Darwin. His matter is due for a second mention in the Alice Springs Local Court on July 30.

For culturally safe First Nations crisis support, you can give 13YARN a call on 13 92 76. They offer a free, confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.