Missing four-year-old Cleo Smith found 'alive and well'

Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said police had broken their way into a locked house and found the girl in one of the rooms

Cleo Smith, 4, has been found alive and well. Picture: WA Police Force/Twitter 

Four-year-old Cleo Smith, who went missing from a campsite in Western Australia more than two weeks ago, has been found alive and well.

The Guardian has reported that police in Western Australia said they had found Cleo in a house in Carnarvon about 1am on Wednesday and a local man had been taken into custody.

Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said police had broken their way into the locked house and found the girl in one of the rooms.

“It’s my privilege to announce that in the early hours of this morning, the Western Australia police force rescued Cleo Smith,” he said. 

“Cleo is alive and well.

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

Cleo was reunited with her parents a short time later.

Pictured: Cleo Smith's parents. Four-year-old Cleo Smith, who went missing from a campsite in Western Australia more than two weeks ago, has been found alive and well.

As reported by The Guardian, the four-year-old vanished from the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon, about 950km north of Perth, on 16 October.

Her mother, Ellie Smith, was the last known person to see her. She said her daughter had woken up about 1.30am asking for water before going back to bed. 

In the morning, Cleo and her sleeping bag were gone from the family’s tent.

“This is the outcome we all hoped and prayed for,” Blanch said.

“Our prayers answered. Thank you to the many police officers involved in finding Cleo and supporting her family.” 

The Carnarvon shire president, Eddie Smith, told 2GB radio on Wednesday that he had realised something was going on when his phone started ringing.

“My phone started to ring flat out and I knew there was something going on here,” he said. “Cleo Smith had been found. I rang the police and they told me it was correct.” 

Australia’s leaders were quick to express their joy at the news and to thank the police and others who had searched for Cleo over two harrowing weeks.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, said on Twitter it was “wonderful, relieving news”. 

“Our prayers answered. Thank you to the many police officers involved in finding Cleo and supporting her family.” 

The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, said it was “such happy news”. “To all those who tirelessly searched for this little girl, you deserve our thanks.” Blanch said the outcome was down to “some incredible police work”.