WARNING: This story contains the name of a deceased Indigenous person

Northern Territory Police have confirmed the “incredibly distressing” discovery of a body, believed to be that of a missing five-year-old.

The little girl vanished from her home near Alice Springs on Saturday night.

She is alleged to have been taken by 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis from Old Timers town camp near Alice Springs just six days after his release from prison.

The girl’s family has since asked she be referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby.

She was last seen holding hands with Lewis late on Saturday. Police confirmed on Wednesday they believed he had led her from the camp.

On Thursday afternoon, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said a child’s body was found about five kilometres from the camp just before midday (local time) on Thursday.

“This is an incredibly distressing development,” he said.

“[The] family have been formally notified and our thoughts are firmly with them at this devastating time.”

He said an autopsy, likely conducted on Friday, would be necessary to confirm how the little girl died, and when.

The grim discovery followed days of searching by locals,  police officers, defence force members and Aboriginal trackers in tough desert terrain for Kumanjayi Little Baby and her alleged abductor.

“The support shown during this time has been overwhelming and this is the worst possible outcome,” Dole said.

“It is very important the Alice Springs community continues to support one another. It is equally important the police be allowed to do their job.”

Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said two DNA profiles had been found on underwear found at a crime scene near the town camp earlier this week. They had been identified as belonging to the child and Lewis.

“The focus right now is to locate Jefferson Lewis. That is the sole job in our investigation right now,” he said.

“We believe he’s murdered this child. I say to his family, do not assist him. Get him to the police station and we will look after him. I say to Jefferson Lewis – we are coming for you.”

The little girl’s mother released a statement through NT Police.

“I know you are in heaven with the rest of the family with Jesus and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” she wrote.

“Me and your brother will meet you one day. We are giving our lives to Jesus.

“It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you.”

She also thanked all those who had helped in this week’s search for her missing child.

Earlier, Coalition frontbencher Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price confirmed Kumanjayi Little Baby was her niece. She said the family and the local community were shattered.

“That’s incredibly frightening and very disturbing for the family as well,” Price told Sky News.

She repeated police appeals for anyone who knew where Lewis was to contact authorities.

“There is concern that there are people that do know the whereabouts of Jefferson Lewis,” she said.

“Someone like that can’t just disappear into thin air.”

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