Cleo Smith’s parents battled dark times during their daughter’s 18-day kidnapping nightmare, no more so when they were blamed for her disappearance.
In a series of high-profile media interviews over the past 24 hours, Cleo’s mum Ellie Smith and stepdad Jake Giddon have shared new details about their daughter’s recovery following her return to safety while also detailing the intense public scrutiny the family faced during the search.
This includes the toll wrought by accusations that their concern for the missing four-year-old was manufactured and they had been responsible for her disappearance.
“(We) pretty much tried to stay off social media,” Ms Smith told the show on Monday.
“Didn't read into too many of (the claims), but it was a lot.”
Ms Smith and Mr Giddon bared all during an exclusive $2mn interview with on Sunday night, telling journalist Tara Brown of the struggles they had faced after – and during – the investigation.
They said they often found themselves at the mercy of armchair critics and keyboard warriors when Cleo went missing from their tent at the Blowholes campground north of Carnarvon in Western Australia on October 16, even after WA police publicly praised the pair for their co-operation.
Mr Giddon, in particular, faced unfounded suspicions he had something to do with his stepdaughter’s disappearance.
“We knew the truth.” Ms Smith said.
“For me personally … claiming that it was Jake, and I know how much Jake has stepped up to be Cleo‘s dad and how much he is Cleo’s dad … for people to then accuse him because he is a stepdad … that was hard for me.
“Because he’s done so much for her and our family that I just couldn’t imagine how someone could say such bad words about him.”
Cleo was eventually recovered by police in a Carnarvon home on November 3, more than 80 kilometres from where she went missing.
Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, was arrested the same day Cleo was found.
He has since plead guilty to forcibly taking a child aged under 16 and faced Carnarvon Magistrates Court in late January via video link from the maximum security Casuarina Prison in Perth.
The matter was committed to the WA District Court for a sentence mention in March.
While Cleo’s return meant the story ultimately had a happy ending, Ms Smith and Mr Giddon told the that Cleo had faced some tough moments whilereadjusting.
“(It’s been) a bit of a rollercoaster,” Mr Giddon said.
“Especially dealing with Cleo and her emotions and nightmares.”
Ms Smith said the early morning call from detectives that found Cleo waxjmtzyws one of the “most beautiful moments” of her life.
“At first when I answered it, I picked it up and they‘re like: ‘Hi Ellie’,” she said.
“I was like: ‘Hi’.
“They said: ‘I’ve got someone to speak to you’.”
