Australia CLEO SMITH: Missing from Blowholes Campground, Carnarvon, WA - 16 Oct 2021 - Age 4 *Found Alive**GUILTY PLEA*

Search continues for missing girl in WA

The disappearance of a four-year-old girl from a WA campsite is "extremely concerning" and police say a search...

www.inverelltimes.com.au

Search continues for missing girl in WA​

The disappearance of a four-year-old girl from a WA campsite is "extremely concerning" and police say a search has yet to turn up any answers.

Cleo Smith was last seen about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon.

An air, land and sea search resumed on Sunday morning with help from the SES and community volunteers.

The girl was wearing a pink one-piece sleepsuit with a blue and yellow pattern when she was last seen.


Earlier, Ms Smith posted that she had woken at 6am on Saturday to find her daughter wasn't in their shared tent.

She described Cleo's disappearance as "very very unusual".

WA police Inspector Jon Munday said the family arrived in the area late on Friday afternoon.

Insp Munday said he was "fairly confident" police were able to get the identities of all the people who were in the campsite at the time she disappeared, as well as gathering intelligence from dashcams and CCTV cameras in the vicinity to "paint a picture of who was around here".

"We are greatly concerned for the safety of Cleo and we aren't leaving anything to chance or ruling anything out," Insp Munday said early on Sunday afternoon.

"We are going as hard as we can for as long as we can."

Insp Munday said detectives from Perth and Geraldton had arrived at the search area and despite the harsh environment, the weather was so far "conducive to someone surviving exposure to the elements", but there were still no answers or major breakthroughs in the search.


MEDIA - CLEO SMITH: Missing from Blowholes Campground, Carnarvon, WA since 16 Oct 2021 - Age 4

 

[GrandmaBear]

FULL INTERVIEW: Cleo’s devastated family speaks

Cleo Smith’s mum Ellie has given a heartbreaking interview, describing how she has barely slept since the four-year-old disappeared from her tent at the Blowholes.

www.perthnow.com.au

Cleo Smith’s mum Ellie has given a heartbreaking interview, describing how she has barely slept since the four-year-old disappeared from her tent at the Blowholes.

In their first interview since Cleo Smith disappeared from the tent she was sharing with her family at the Blowholes, Cleo’s mum Ellie Smith sat alongside her partner Jake Gliddon as she told how she did not believe she had wandered off alone.

She awoke at 6am on Saturday to find their tent was open and Cleo missing.


“She’s lazy when it comes to walking,” she said.

“She’d never leave the tent alone.”

Ms Smith said as soon as they realised Cleo was missing, they searched for her on foot and then by car, before calling police.

“We haven’t really slept,” she said.

“I guess the worst part is we can’t do anything more. It’s out of our hands now and we feel hopeless and out of control.

“We sit and watch the sand dunes and think she’s going to run down it and back into our arms — but we’re still waiting.”

Asked if they feared someone had taken Cleo, Ms Smith said they were still clinging to hope that she was nearby.

She said someone had to know where Cleo was: “Someone has to, it’s been four days.”

The couple said they had been inundated with messages from the community, but asked people to tell police if they had seen anything.

“If you see something report it, doesn’t matter if it’s small or big,” Ms Smith said. “We want our little girl home.

“We’re going to find her, we have to.”

She said she felt “terrified” and would not want any other mother to go through her experience.

Ms Smith described her little girl as “beautiful, delicate and funny”, with “the biggest heart”, who loved make-up and collecting rocks.

“Every day she wants to wear a princess dress,” she said. “She’s so sweet — everything you’d want in a little girl.”

Although she was “terrified of the ocean”, Cleo had been looking forward to building sand castles on the beach.

I've not been able to see the mother's interview. I have tried but it doesn't play for me, get an error code, etc. Sure it's probably on my end as I think I tried it linked through two different sources.

I guess it's a good thing if the child is terrified of the ocean since one thought is always that water tends to draw children and in her case, it probably didn't.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Clue over tent zipper: Police drop new Cleo bombshell

Police are preparing for the worst after a fifth day of searching for missing Cleo Smith.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Cleo Smith disappearance: Police say missing 4-year-old could not have opened tent zipper herself​

Western Australian police have revealed why 4-year-old Cleo Smith, missing from a tent in remote campsite at the weekend, could not have opened the zipper herself.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Inspector Jon Munday said Cleo was too short to reach the zipper on her tent on her own on the morning she went missing.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Still no suspects in Cleo case after five days missing

Police this afternoon did not have any suspects in relation to the investigation, despite a large amount of information including CCTV and dash-cam footage taken from the area.

thewest.com.au

Cleo Smith search: No suspects in girl’s case after five days missing near Blowholes campsite​

Police delivered a bombshell in the Cleo Smith investigation today as they revealed the tent in which she was sleeping the morning she disappeared was unzipped to a height the four-year-old could not have reached.

One of the door flaps of the grey eight-person tent in which the missing girl and her family were staying was left open at a position well above Cleo’s head.

Speaking metres from the Blowholes campsite where the tent was pitched, Insp. Jon Munday said Cleo had been sleeping next to one of two front entry ways when she vanished sometime between 1.30am and 6am. By the time her mother Ellie Smith, stepfather Jake Gliddon and baby sister Isla woke, there was no trace of her.

“One of the major circumstances that has given us the cause for alarm for Cleo’s safety is the fact that one of those zippered entry ways was opened,” Insp. Munday said.

“The positioning of that zipper for the flap is one of the circumstances that has caused us to have grave concerns.”

He said the height at which it was left was one of several key details in the case that has investigators particularly worried.

“There are circumstances around her disappearance that make it very concerning ... like the fact that the zipper was allegedly up so high (and) the sleeping bag is missing,” Insp. Munday said.

The tent, as well as several shacks near where the family was camping, have been thoroughly examined by forensic officers. The tent is on its way to Perth for further testing.



Insp. Munday said all the registered sex offenders in the area had been identified and spoken to and were “being dealt with by the investigative arm” of the case. “There are certain people we are interested in,” he said.

It came after it was confirmed people would have been able to leave the campsite in the time it took police to block off the road after Cleo’s parents rang triple-0. “Potentially there are people out there that were here in the campsite vicinity that we don’t know about,” Insp. Munday said. “We do know of a lot of people that were here, but there is the possibility we aren’t aware of (everyone).”

The possibility Cleo was abducted is one of two scenarios police are considering and has been described as the “worst case”.

No one in the campground saw Cleo the night the family arrived at the popular spot but Insp. Munday said police had “things placing Cleo at the camp site”.

Insp Munday said police had “technological evidence” she had been there with her parents and there was nothing to indicate their account was “anything but accurate and truthful”.


Cleo’s family are set on staying at the shacks by the Blowholes campground.

“They simply don’t know what to do. They don’t want to leave and that’s completely understandable,” Insp Munday said. “They’re distraught. They’re going to stay here in case Cleo comes back.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

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www.heraldsun.com.au

Police used bolt cutters at Cleo campsite​

Police used bolt cutters to open metal huts at the WA campsite where little Cleo Smith disppeared, but campers drifted in and out for hours before the Blowholes site was closed, according to friends.

Police used bolt cutters to open metal huts at the WA campsite where little Cleo Smith disppeared, but campers drifted in and out for hours before the Blowholes site was closed, according to friends.

The wilderness camping site, easily accessed by a bitumen road, does not require campers to pre-book but instead to pay online with a ranger visiting daily to check registrations.


The campers who met the family described Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon as “absolutely distraught” in the hours after Cleo’s disappearance.

 

[Guess Who]

I used to live in orange county California and there was a fire on our street in the middle of the night. It was lined with palm trees and the tops of the trees were catching fire and the wind was blowing it to the next palm tree. Woke up the next morning and saw the scorched palm trees and wondered what happened! My husband and I at the time slept through the whole thing! Our neighbors were shocked we slept through it. True story.

I guess since I am one that wakes up to every noise, especially when we were camping with lil ones, it's hard for me to imagine it not happening. When we were places other than home, my hearing was hyper vigilant.

 

[Guess Who]

Clue over tent zipper: Police drop new Cleo bombshell

Police are preparing for the worst after a fifth day of searching for missing Cleo Smith.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Cleo Smith disappearance: Police say missing 4-year-old could not have opened tent zipper herself​

Western Australian police have revealed why 4-year-old Cleo Smith, missing from a tent in remote campsite at the weekend, could not have opened the zipper herself.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Inspector Jon Munday said Cleo was too short to reach the zipper on her tent on her own on the morning she went missing.

If it was anything like most of the tents we have had, the zipper is a dual one and you can zip it at any level with both ends meeting. I haven't seen one that only has a single zipper pull. So feasible that she could have reached it if they had the zippers meet halfway or even at the bottom.

 

[Guess Who]

Still no suspects in Cleo case after five days missing

Police this afternoon did not have any suspects in relation to the investigation, despite a large amount of information including CCTV and dash-cam footage taken from the area.

thewest.com.au

Cleo Smith search: No suspects in girl’s case after five days missing near Blowholes campsite​

Police delivered a bombshell in the Cleo Smith investigation today as they revealed the tent in which she was sleeping the morning she disappeared was unzipped to a height the four-year-old could not have reached.

One of the door flaps of the grey eight-person tent in which the missing girl and her family were staying was left open at a position well above Cleo’s head.

Speaking metres from the Blowholes campsite where the tent was pitched, Insp. Jon Munday said Cleo had been sleeping next to one of two front entry ways when she vanished sometime between 1.30am and 6am. By the time her mother Ellie Smith, stepfather Jake Gliddon and baby sister Isla woke, there was no trace of her.

“One of the major circumstances that has given us the cause for alarm for Cleo’s safety is the fact that one of those zippered entry ways was opened,” Insp. Munday said.

“The positioning of that zipper for the flap is one of the circumstances that has caused us to have grave concerns.”

He said the height at which it was left was one of several key details in the case that has investigators particularly worried.

“There are circumstances around her disappearance that make it very concerning ... like the fact that the zipper was allegedly up so high (and) the sleeping bag is missing,” Insp. Munday said.

The tent, as well as several shacks near where the family was camping, have been thoroughly examined by forensic officers. The tent is on its way to Perth for further testing.



Insp. Munday said all the registered sex offenders in the area had been identified and spoken to and were “being dealt with by the investigative arm” of the case. “There are certain people we are interested in,” he said.

It came after it was confirmed people would have been able to leave the campsite in the time it took police to block off the road after Cleo’s parents rang triple-0. “Potentially there are people out there that were here in the campsite vicinity that we don’t know about,” Insp. Munday said. “We do know of a lot of people that were here, but there is the possibility we aren’t aware of (everyone).”

The possibility Cleo was abducted is one of two scenarios police are considering and has been described as the “worst case”.

No one in the campground saw Cleo the night the family arrived at the popular spot but Insp. Munday said police had “things placing Cleo at the camp site”.

Insp Munday said police had “technological evidence” she had been there with her parents and there was nothing to indicate their account was “anything but accurate and truthful”.


Cleo’s family are set on staying at the shacks by the Blowholes campground.

“They simply don’t know what to do. They don’t want to leave and that’s completely understandable,” Insp Munday said. “They’re distraught. They’re going to stay here in case Cleo comes back.”

or the parents could have forgotten to zip it back up after entering.

 

[Guess Who]

or the parents could have forgotten to zip it back up after entering.

plus, the parents would have unzipped it going out to look for her, right?

How would the police be certain of the height it was prior?

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

plus, the parents would have unzipped it going out to look for her, right?

How would the police be certain of the height it was prior?

Reporting from the parents. They stated that the zipper was open all the way (or "nearly" all the way) when they woke up. It may not have been in the position the parents found it in when police arrived, but they would have been able to state where the zipper was.

 

[Guess Who]

Reporting from the parents. They stated that the zipper was open all the way (or "nearly" all the way) when they woke up. It may not have been in the position the parents found it in when police arrived, but they would have been able to state where the zipper was.

Which makes it even more "hmmmmm" that the parents didn't hear it since it wasn't just a little bit, plus it usually shakes the entire tent when those zippers are opening and closing.

Which also leads me more to that if it really happened that way, that the parents were either not in the tent or under the influence.

 

[Guess Who]

Which makes it even more "hmmmmm" that the parents didn't hear it since it wasn't just a little bit, plus it usually shakes the entire tent when those zippers are opening and closing.

Which also leads me more to that if it really happened that way, that the parents were either not in the tent or under the influence.

and like was stated previously, who camps with little kids sleeping closest to the entry???

 

[Guess Who]

Everybody I know that camps with little ones, one would have to climb over the adults to get to where the little ones are sleeping. The real reason being so that the little ones would have to climb over the adults to escape and so if the adults stayed up after the little ones went to sleep, they wouldn't have to climb over them to go to bed and disturb them.

 

[GrandmaBear]

It sounds to me like LE is taking the parents words for a lot of things. Doesn't mean it's not truth but it certainly doesn't make what they say fact either.

I don't like no one else saw this child that night. I had a feeling that was the case and was asking just that some posts back.

 

[GrandmaBear]

and like was stated previously, who camps with little kids sleeping closest to the entry???

No one in my opinion.

 

[GrandmaBear]

If it was anything like most of the tents we have had, the zipper is a dual one and you can zip it at any level with both ends meeting. I haven't seen one that only has a single zipper pull. So feasible that she could have reached it if they had the zippers meet halfway or even at the bottom.

I've mostly seen dual zips also, first thought I had. Whether it was or not, what LE has is what the parents allege and that's all they have. Imo.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I would also like to POINT out since they say no one else saw this child at the campground, it makes it even more unlikely any abductor saw her either nor knew a child was inside the tent. Just sayin'.... It doesn't add up.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Everybody I know that camps with little ones, one would have to climb over the adults to get to where the little ones are sleeping. The real reason being so that the little ones would have to climb over the adults to escape and so if the adults stayed up after the little ones went to sleep, they wouldn't have to climb over them to go to bed and disturb them.

I'm not advocating for a certain scenario here (other than I believe she did NOT leave the tent on her own), but I really have seen this.
I've mentioned my brother's set-up before. Him and fiancé in one "room", middle room (with main entrances) open / used for storing bags, boys in the other side "room". I've also gone camping with a couple who set up their baby's crib in one room of a two-room tent, and they slept in the other room. I've also known people who have given their children their own small child-sized tents to sleep in (obviously not THIS young, but maybe around 7-8.)
Cleo's family had an 8-person tent with multiple rooms and multiple entries. I wouldn't find anything many setups odd...

HOWEVER! This setup mentioned below does seem odd to me, if this is stated correctly. If Cleo and baby were sleeping in the main, front-facing area and the parents were the ones off in the side room, that is a bit odd to me.

Madeleine McCann cop reveals 'real complication' in Cleo Smith's disappearance in WA

A top UK cop who worked on the Madeleine McCann case says the fact that little Cleo Smith's sleeping bag is missing is a 'real complication' which is leaving seasoned detectives baffled.

nation.lk

The family tent had several entry points that could be unzipped, with the one found open being at the front-facing area of the tent where the little girl had been sleeping.



Could someone have watched the family set up and realized the children were in the main/front room? Still seems AWFULLY risky to take that chance, unless they saw things that made them believe the parents would not hear them.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Also, I do have to admit, that some of the small clips and "stills" from the parents interview made me a bit...skeptical. But after watching the full thing, I don't feel that. I want to believe they are genuine. But I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again. I just don't get that "vibe" from them in this interview.

 

[Guess Who]

I'm not advocating for a certain scenario here (other than I believe she did NOT leave the tent on her own), but I really have seen this.
I've mentioned my brother's set-up before. Him and fiancé in one "room", middle room (with main entrances) open / used for storing bags, boys in the other side "room". I've also gone camping with a couple who set up their baby's crib in one room of a two-room tent, and they slept in the other room. I've also known people who have given their children their own small child-sized tents to sleep in (obviously not THIS young, but maybe around 7-8.)
Cleo's family had an 8-person tent with multiple rooms and multiple entries. I wouldn't find anything many setups odd...

HOWEVER! This setup mentioned below does seem odd to me, if this is stated correctly. If Cleo and baby were sleeping in the main, front-facing area and the parents were the ones off in the side room, that is a bit odd to me.

Madeleine McCann cop reveals 'real complication' in Cleo Smith's disappearance in WA

A top UK cop who worked on the Madeleine McCann case says the fact that little Cleo Smith's sleeping bag is missing is a 'real complication' which is leaving seasoned detectives baffled.

nation.lk

The family tent had several entry points that could be unzipped, with the one found open being at the front-facing area of the tent where the little girl had been sleeping.



Could someone have watched the family set up and realized the children were in the main/front room? Still seems AWFULLY risky to take that chance, unless they saw things that made them believe the parents would not hear them.

I saw another article that stated the tent was mostly open and the kids in the front. Now I'm picturing the parents in the closed part and the girls in the open part and depending on the conditions, the kids could have easily been seen by anybody passing near and also seeing that the parents were in the enclosed portion.