Cleo Smith missing update – Little girl found 'unharmed' after ‘kidnapper’ Terry Kelly watched mum’s pleas on Facebook

CLEO Smith's alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly watched her mother pour out her anguish by following her on Facebook, reports claim.

The doll-obsessed loner is also said to have posted a cryptic message about online privacy at 5am on the morning little Cleo was snatched from her family's tent.

One hour later at 6am, Cleo's mum Ellie woke to find her missing and the tent flap open at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia.

It is alleged Kelly shut little Cleo in this room for 18 days until officers burst in and rescued her in the early hours of Wednesday.

Incredible audio revealed the moment she told cops: "My name is Cleo" – confirming she was safe.

Read our Cleo Smith live blog below for the latest updates..

  • Milica Cosic

    Recap: What did the police say when Cleo was found?

    On Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said in a statement: “It’s my privilege to announce that in the early hours of this morning, the Western Australia Police Force rescued Cleo Smith.

    “Cleo is alive and well. A police team broke their way into a locked house in Carnarvon about 1am.

    “They found little Cleo in one of the rooms. Cleo was reunited with her parents a short time later.

    “This is the outcome we all hoped and prayed for.

    “It’s the outcome we’ve achieved because of some incredible police work.

    “I want to thank Cleo’s parents, the Western Australian community and the many volunteers.

    “I can confirm we have a man from Carnarvon in custody who is currently being questioned by detectives.

    “We’ll have more to say on the rescue of Cleo as the day unfolds. For now – Welcome home Cleo.”

  • Milica Cosic

    ‘Kidnapper’ watched her parents’ pleas for help by following her mum on Facebook

    CLEO Smith’s alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly watched her mother pour out her anguish by following her on Facebook, reports claim.

    The doll-obsessed loner – who winked as he was led to jail in shackles today – is also said to have posted a cryptic message about online privacy at 5am on the morning little Cleo was snatched from her family’s tent.

    Kelly wrote on his Facebook status on October 16: “I can’t accept friend requests from strangers.

    “I live a private life and I respect those who are on my friend list to ensure their privacy is respected too.

    “Us adults have to be careful online too.”

    It’s understood the post was made about 5am, reports Daily Mail Australia. 

  • Louis Allwood

    Cleo was found unharmed and playing alone

    Police also confirmed Cleo was apparently unharmed and playing when they found her alone this week.

    She was reunited with mum Ellie after vanishing from a campsite 43 miles from her home in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine said: "The lights were on and she was playing with toys, I think that's all I want to say."

  • Louis Allwood

    Cleo's family 'humbled' by the nation's love and support

    “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the rescue of our daughter Cleo Smith,” mum Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon said in the statement, released on Friday.

    "In particular, we would like to thank WA Police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends.

    “We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.

    “We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.

    “As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.”

  • Louis Allwood

    How did Cleo go missing?

    Dubbed the ‘Aussie Maddie McCann,’ cops launched a desperate hunt for the child after she went missing from the remote campsite in her pink pyjamas.

    Her mum last saw her at 1.30am when she gave her a drink of water, and then her and her partner Jake Gliddon awoke to find the tot missing – sparking a frantic search.

    Cleo’s disappearance sent shockwaves through the community in Australia.

    The police were called around three hours after she was found to be missing as the family had hoped the girl was just hiding nearby – searching the area with other campers.

    Authorities previously also offered a $1m reward for information leading to Cleo’s location.

  • Louis Allwood

    Suspect Terence Kelly 'has no connection' to Smith family

    After weeks of searching in the Outback, Cleo was yesterday found in a room inside a locked house.

    Her first words were “my name is Cleo” as cops busted open the door and found the girl – 18 days after she vanished from her tent at Blowholes campground site in Western Australia.

    The suspect, who police say has no connection with the family, was arrested at the property.

    He was seen with his head bandaged after reportedly being attacked by a fellow prisoner who learned what he’d been taken into custody for.

  • Louis Allwood

    How and where did police find Cleo Smith?

    Cleo disappeared from her family's tent at a campsite near the town of Carnarvon on October 16, 2021, triggering a massive search.

    A 36-year-old man is in custody and being questioned by detectives.

    Police smashed their way into a home in Carnarvon on Tuesday, November, 2021, following forensic clues.

    Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch from WA Police said in a statement: "They found little Cleo in one of the rooms.

    "One of the officers picked her up into his arms and asked her, 'What's your name?' She said 'My name is Cleo'."

    The girl has been reunited with her parents, who had made desperate pleas for Cleo's return.

    Her mother, Ellie Smith, wrote on Instagram: "Our family is whole again."

  • Louis Allwood

    Explained: Does Cleo Smith have any siblings?

    Cleo Smith has a younger half sister called Isla, whose father is Jake Gliddon, Cleo's stepfather.

    Though the two sisters do not share the same father, their mother Ellie has described Cleo as the best big sister.

    They often played together in pictures shared by mum Ellie.

    Isla is reported to be seven-months-old.

    Cleo's biological dad is Daniel Staines.

  • Louis Allwood

    ‘The outcome we all hoped and prayed for’

    Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said in a statement: “It’s my privilege to announce that in the early hours of this morning, the Western Australia Police Force rescued Cleo Smith.

    “Cleo is alive and well. A police team broke their way into a locked house in Carnarvon about 1am.

    “They found little Cleo in one of the rooms. Cleo was reunited with her parents a short time later.

    “This is the outcome we all hoped and prayed for.

    “It’s the outcome we’ve achieved because of some incredible police work.”

  • Louis Allwood

    Obsessed with Bratz dolls

    Pictures of Terence Kelly show him with one of the dolls in each hand wearing a Bratz t-shirt with the words: “Nothing beats chilling at home with by Bratz dolls”.

    He also uploaded photos to Facebook in April 2020 showing him taking a doll for a car drive.

    He captioned the post: “I love taking my dolls for drive around and doing their hair and taking selfies in public."

    Police were asked about the alleged doll obsession and whether Kelly might have used the toys to lure Cleo but said they would not be commenting on it. 

  • Louis Allwood

    Mapped: Cleo Smith found and carried to safety

    In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Cleo was carried to safety after she was found safe 18 days after vanishing from Blowholes Campground.

    The site is just 43 miles from her home in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

    Police allege that Kelly snatched the little girl from her family tent while she slept at the campsite with her family on October 16.

  • Louis Allwood

    'I love my dolls’

    One of Kelly’s many social media profiles is a Facebook page devoted to his obsession with Bratz dolls, an American brand featuring scantily clad teenage figures.

    On the page, posted a video of himself with a filter showing hearts with the words “I love my dolls”.

    Another picture shows a room dedicated to the dolls, with shelves stacked to the ceiling showing a large number still in the boxes, the Sydney Morning Herald Reports.

    Kelly is also pictured with one of the dolls in each hand wearing a Bratz t-shirt with the words: “Nothing beats chilling at home with by Bratz dolls”.

    He also uploaded photos to Facebook in April 2020 showing him taking a doll for a car drive.

    “I love taking my dolls for drive around and doing their hair and taking selfies in public”, he captioned the post.

    Police were asked about the alleged doll obsession and whether Kelly might have used the toys to lure Cleo but said they would not be commenting on it. 

  • Louis Allwood

    The unanswered questions

    There are still several unanswered questions in the Cleo abduction case.

    Although everyone is happy the 4-year-old now back with her family people will see be wondering the following:

    • What was the suspect’s motive?
    • Was she moved about or kept in the same house all the time?
    • How did the kidnapper get in the tent without waking the rest of the family?
    • Why was Cleo snatched and not her sister?
    • What is the suspect “known to police” for?
    • Who or what tipped off the police to that house?
    • Had the suspect do or tried to do anything like this before?

    Who is Cleo Smith suspect Terry Kelly?

    Terry Kelly was arrested in connection with her disappearance on the morning of Wednesday, November 3, 2021.

    The next day, Kelly was charged with forcibly taking Cleo.

    The 36-year-old man was pictured lying down in the ambulance with his bandaged head covered in a blanket.

    Sahntayah McKenzie who lives nearby said she heard the sound of crying one night, but did not connect it to the missing girl.

    She told The West Australian: "Not last night, the night before it… I heard a little girl crying but I wouldn't expect it to be Cleo.

    "I didn't expect it would happen in this little neighbourhood, a lot of people know each other."

    Where was Cleo found?

    Police cameras show the four-year-old in an officer's arms as she's taken outside after cops burst in at 1am following a sudden tip off.

    The house where Cleo was found is about six minutes' drive from her family home in Carnarvon, which has about 5,000 residents in a locked house.

    Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said they scoured thousands of pieces of information looking for a "needle in a haystack".

    he told Network Seven: "Late last night they found that needle that led them to that address and rescued Cleo."

    Police said it involved information about a car, but would not elaborate.

    • Louis Allwood

      Where was Cleo Smith taken from?

      Police busted open the door of a home more than a fortnight after she vanished from her tent at the Blowholes camp in Western Australia.

      Missing Cleo Smith was carried to safety as she was found safe 18 days after vanishing from a campsite.

      The four-year-old arrived at the Blowholes Campground, about 70 kilometres from Carnarvon, in Western Australia on Friday with her mother Ellie Smith, step-dad and baby sister.

      The family are from Carnarvon and often visit the area to camp.

      Cleo woke her mum up for a drink of water at 1.30am on Saturday, October 16, 2021, before going back to sleep in the tent she shared with her parents and younger sister.

      Mum Ellie said that was the last time she saw her daughter.

    • Louis Allwood

      What happened to Terry Kelly in prison?

      Mr Kelly was admitted to hospital for a second time after he was allegedly attacked by another prisoner inside a police holding cell, according to the Mail.

      The 36-year-old had only been at Carnarvon police station, in Western Australia, for a few hours on Wednesday, November 3, when he was allegedly set upon by an angry inmate.

      That prisoner's mother told the outlet that her son was "furious" when he discovered why Kelly was being detained. 

      The woman alleged: "As soon as he heard this bloke was arrested over that little Cleo, he blew up, beat him black and blue.

      "I tell you what, he got a real hiding… my son had to be taken out in shackles, and he was taken for treatment.

      "He was in a bad way. He is a big bloke but he really copped it."

      A spokesman for the Western Australia Police Force said they would not be commenting on the woman's claims, but confirmed that Kelly had been treated in hospital for a range of injuries.

    • Joseph Gamp

      Cleo was found unharmed and playing alone

      Police also confirmed Cleo was apparently unharmed and playing when they found her alone this week.

      She was reunited with mum Ellie after vanishing from a campsite 43 miles from her home in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

      Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine said: “The lights were on and she was playing with toys, I think that’s all I want to say.”

    • Louis Allwood

      Rubbish searched in hunt for Cleo

      Australian police searched through 50 cubic metres of rubbish from bins all over the outback as they desperately searched for clues – before finding her minutes from her house.

      Speaking before Cleo was found, police said: “Police investigating the disappearance of four-year-old Cleo Smith continue to leave no stone unturned.

      “As part of the investigation, officers collected more than 50 cubic metres of rubbish from roadside bins as far north as Minilya to as far south as Geraldton.

      “The rubbish was packed into two trucks and transported to Perth, where four forensics officers and 20 officers spent two days sorting through hundreds of bags, in an effort to find any items that may assist in the investigation.”

    • Louis Allwood

      Police 'elated' when they found her

      Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine said his team were “elated” when they discovered the little girl – just 18 days after she vanished from her tent at Blowholes campground site in Western Australia.

      According to Sky News, Blaine said: “Cleo is physically okay – that was evident from the start.”

      “It was absolutely fantastic. To see her sitting there was incredible.”

    • Louis Allwood

      Not far from home

      The property where the little girl was found was just a seven-minute drive from her family home.

      She vanished from the Blowholes campsite on October 18.

      Western Australia Police confirmed that cops broke their way into a locked property at around 1am in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

    • Louis Allwood

      Cleo was found playing when found

      Police also confirmed Cleo was apparently unharmed and playing when they found her alone this week.

      She was reunited with mum Ellie after vanishing from a campsite 43 miles from her home in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

      Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine said: “The lights were on and she was playing with toys, I think that’s all I want to say.”

    • Louis Allwood

      Reward will not be claimed by anyone Police confirm

      A huge $1million AU (£540,000) reward for finding a missing four-year-old will not be claimed, police have said.

      The large sum was put on the table after Cleo Smith went missing from her tent at the Quobba Blowholes camping ground.

      Acting Police Commissioner Col Blanch said: “Intelligence led them to that house. They went into that house, Cleo was in the house alone.”

      Asked by reporters on Wednesday whether he thought the reward would be claimed, he said: “I don’t believe so, no.”

    • Louis Allwood

      Cleo’s family thank everyone for the support

      “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the rescue of our daughter Cleo Smith,” mum Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon said in the statement, released on Friday.

      “In particular, we would like to thank WA Police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends.

      “We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.

      “We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.

      “As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.”

    • Louis Allwood

      'We got her'

      In the audio clip, a male police officer can be heard saying “we got her, we got her”.

      Another cop says “come here, come her, I got you bubby” as another says “what’s your name sweetheart?”.

      After little Cleo paused for a second, she told police words they had desperately wanted to hear throughout their hunt for her.

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