Western Australia Police have released audio of the incredible moment they found and rescued four-year-old Cleo Smith who was allegedly abducted last month.
“We’ve got her, we’ve got her,” an officer can be heard saying in the clip after officers discovered Cleo inside a locked house - just a six-minute drive from her family home in Carnarvon.
The officer can then be heard reassuring Cleo, telling her to “come here” before asking what her name is.
"My name is Cleo." pic.twitter.com/xiy59x4kjP
— WA Police Force (@WA_Police) November 4, 2021
“M-My name is Cleo,” she replies, and the officers can be heard responding to the four-year-old simultaneously: “Your name is Cleo,” “You’re alright bubby,” and “Hello Cleo!”
Cleo had been missing for 18 days after she disappeared from her family’s tent at Blowholes campground on October 16.
Upon finding Cleo alive, Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine has said the little girl was alert and aware when they rescued her, and had been playing with toys.
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“It was amazing to see her behave like a normal four-year-old child would,” he told reporters.
Since being reunited with her family, Detective Blaine said he had visited Cleo and said she was “bubbly and laughing.”
“She was eating an icy pole, she told me it was very sticky to eat, she was just delightful,” he added.
Western Australia premier Mark McGowan also met Cleo and described her as a “delightful little girl.”
Though he revealed he owes her a new pair of shoes after accidentally standing on the little girl’s foot while he “did a few high-fives” with her.
“I owe her a pair of shoes. But I gave her the two little police teddies which we named Cameron and Rod,” McGowan said referring to the lead investigator Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde and Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine.
“I am not sure that will stick, Cleo didn’t seem too enamoured by the names,” he said.
McGowan added that Cleo has “done a bit of sleeping and a lot of eating, a lot of lying around and cuddling, just connecting [as] parents with their little daughters.”
A 36-year-old man has since been charged with abducting Cleo.
Two days before the suspect was arrested, a neighbour said he noticed the suspect was acting strangely and spotted him purchasing nappies from a local store.
Henry Dodd, who lives on the street where Cleo was found alive, told 7 News’ Sunrise show: “The other day, I think it was Monday, we saw him buying Kimbie’s in Woolworths but we didn’t click on why he was buying them or who he was buying them for. Up until now…”
