Video footage and GPS data helped lead police to find the body of a missing nine-year-old girl in a barrel in NSW’s Blue Mountains.
The girl was reported missing from Mt Wilson at 8.20am on Friday, but reportedly had not been seen since Thursday afternoon.
Her disappearance sparked a massive five-day search of dense bushland, with more than 100 emergency personnel joining the search.
Detectives arrested a 31-year-old man in Surry Hills on Tuesday night.
Acting Commissioner Karen Webb said the search took place as homicide detectives pursued a number of leads, particularly using CCTV and GPS data.
“A number of other searches took place on the basis of those locations,” she said.
“Last night, police found a barrel … and that barrel contains human remains that consistent with the missing nine year old subsequent to that.”
A crime scene was established and is being examined by specialist forensic officers.
The girl, who is originally from Queensland, was holidaying with family at property at Mt Wilson when she disappeared.
He was charged with murder and refused bail to appear at Central Local Court on Wednesday.
Investigations are continuing.
NED-5347 Body in Barrel Map
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 xjmtzywproperty 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
