A Week Of Cleo Smith's Disappearance: Australian Police Suspect Other People's Involvement, Prepare 1 Million US Dollars For Informants

JAKARTA - Western Australian police say there is a possibility of someone else's involvement in the disappearance of four-year-old girl Cleo Smith, in which police have been searching for nearly a week.

Citing the NZ Herald, October 22, Detective Inspector Rod Wilde of the West Australian Police said at an event that after a nearly week-long search led investigators 'anywhere', it was believed someone else was involved.

"So, with some of the evidence we have obtained from the tent and its surroundings, we believe that there may be other people involved in his disappearance," he explained.

"The team is working around the clock to investigate all these leads and we hope that will lead us to find out where Cleo is."

He added that there were still no suspects, but he hoped that would change as new information came in.

"There's a lot of information coming in. So we're going through it methodically. Look, we hope it will lead us to find out where he is."

Western Australian police have appealed to the public to look for signs that could provide answers to the missing girl's whereabouts, with a big bounty offered for more information on Cleo's whereabouts.

Last Thursday, Western Australian Prime Minister Mark McGowan announced a $1 million reward for anyone with information that could help authorities find Cleo.

"This is a sad situation and a very difficult situation. Of course, our thoughts are with everyone involved, especially Cleo's family and friends. We have ensured that we have provided all the resources the police have requested regarding this case, seeking all the time to try and find Cleo now," McGowan told reporters.

"We will be offering a $1 million bounty to anyone who provides information that leads us to find Cleo. Hopefully, they will allow us to help locate Cleo as soon as possible."

"I urge anyone who knows the whereabouts of Cleo, please provide that information to the police and make sure we can provide certainty and information to Cleo's loved ones. And hopefully, bring Cleo back safely," he messaged.

To support this search, more than 100 police personnel, reservists, and volunteers are currently engaged in an "extensive land, sea and air search".

Detective Inspector Rod Wilde said authorities remained "hopeful to find Cleo alive and well."

"But we are very concerned about his safety. The information we have received, we haven't been able to find him, we imagine we will find him given the number of resources and the detailed search that is being carried out, which leads us to believe he was taken from the camp."

Previously, citing the BBC on October 21, Cleo Smith was reported missing from the campsite on Saturday, October 16 last week. Cleo Smith was last seen sleeping in her family's tent at the Quobba Blowholes beach camp in Western Australia on Saturday morning.

Her mother said she found the tent open that morning and the girl was missing, along with her sleeping bag.

A search team was immediately dispatched to search for him, including by air and by sea. Investigators said they feared Cleo might not have left the area alone because the tent's zipper was opened to a higher point than she could reach.