Police have charged another 13 people over violent riots that erupted in Alice Springs following the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, as investigations into looting and disorder continue to widen.
Northern Territory Police said the latest arrests came after investigators reviewed CCTV footage from businesses targeted during the unrest, including Shell Express and Piggly’s Supermarket.
Among those charged are four women aged 48, 36, 26 and 24, all accused of aggravated burglary and theft. The 26 and 24-year-olds face two counts of each offence, while another 36-year-old woman has also been charged with breach of a suspended sentence.
Sign up to The Nightly’s newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Police also charged three males aged 17, 20 and 44 with aggravated burglary and theft.
Additional charges were laid against several others, including a 29-year-old man accused of multiple counts of aggravated burglary and theft, as well as damage to property, attempted arson and being armed with an offensive weapon at night.
A woman is carried by police during community unrest outside Alice Springs Hospital. Credit: RHETT HAMMERTON/AAPIMAGE
A 36-year-old man faces serious charges, including unlawfully causing serious harm and aggravated assault, while a 49-year-old man has been charged with breaching bail and a suspended sentence.
A full-scale riot has broken out in front of Alice Springs Hospital, with police pelted with rocks and a police car set alight. Credit: Matt Garrick/ABC Darwin
The arrests are the latest in a growing police crackdown following widespread unrest that broke out after the arrest of 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who has been charged with the murder of Kumanjayi Little Baby.
The young girl’s body was found in bushland near Alice Springs last week, five days after she was reported missing, triggering a large-scale search effort.
A candle-light vigil for Kumanjayi Little Baby will be held in Alice Springs. Credit: AAP
Following Lewis’s arrest, large crowds gathered outside Alice Springs Hospital, where he had been taken after being assaulted by members of the public.
The situation escalated into riots, with five emergency workers injured, police vehicles and ambulances damaged, and nearby businesses looted and vandalised.
Authorities say the latest charges are directly linked to those incidents, with further arrests expected as police continue to examine extensive CCTV and body-worn camera footage.
NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole has previously condemned the violence, saying the behaviour was not driven by grief or cultural law.
The unrest has unfolded as the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby calls for calm and respect during their period of mourning.
Kumanjayi Little Baby, 5, and, inset, floral tributes in Alice Springs. Credit: NT Police
“We must now let the justice system do its work,” her grandfather, senior Warlpiri Elder Robin Japanangka Granites, told the ABC.
“We do need to work together on this, on many issues facing our people and communities here in central Australia.
“But our little baby’s passing must not become a politician’s issue or an argument.”
Police have confirmed more suspects have been identified, and further charges are expected in the coming days as the investigation continues.
