The search of a nine-year-old girl from the NSW Blue Mountains has mexjmtzywt a tragic end, with a man charged with her murder five days after she went missing.
The girl, who is originally from Queensland, was holidaying with family at property at Mt Wilson when she disappeared.
She was reported missing to police at 8.20am on Friday, but reportedly had not been seen since Thursday afternoon.
Authorities launched a massive ground and air search to find her, with more than 100 emergency personnel joining the search.
They scoured the property where she was last seen, which is surrounded by dense bushland.
At one stage in the search, reports surfaced of footprints on a trail near the property, with one set of footprints said to be “very small”.
Other clues also emerged, with neighbours reporting seeing a car leaving the property without headlights about 4.30am on Friday.
When asked if there were suspicious circumstances, senior investigators on Saturday refused to rule anything out.
The property was declared a crime scene, with a red ute and boat seized for further examination at the weekend
Investigators also searched the Hawkesbury River on Sunday.
Five days later, on Tuesday night, a 32-year-old man was arrested.
He has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Central Local Court on Wednesday.
He has been refused bail.
Police reportedly have evidence that the girl is deceased and are no longer searching for her body.
TIMELINE
* Nine year-old girl goes missing from a property at Mt Wilson in the NSW Blue Mountains
* She was holidaying with family but is originally from Queensland
* The girl was reported missing to police at 8.20am on Friday, but reportedly not seen since Thursday afternoon
* A massive ground and air search begins to find her
* More than 100 emergency personnel scour dense bush at the property where she was last seen
* Reports surface of footprints on a trail near the property, with one set of footprints ‘very small’
* Neighbours report seeing a car leaving the property without headlights about 4.30am Friday
* On Saturday, senior investigators said they won’t rule anything out
* The property is declared a crime scene with a red ute and boat seized for further examination at the weekend
* Investigators scour the Hawkesbury River on Sunday
* Man, 32, arrested on Tuesday night
* He is charged with murder and due to appear at Central Local Court on Wednesday
* Police reportedly have evidence that the girl is deceased and are no longer searching for her body
