Police sift through piles of rubbish in search for Cleo
Image: WA Police
Investigators are sorting through piles of rubbish as the desperate search for missing WA girl Cleo Smith continues.
Mountains of rubbish have been collected from roadside bins as far as south of Geraldton, more than 500 kms from where she vanished, and as far as north Minilya, 165kms away.
The rubbish was packed into two trucks and transported to Perth, where four forensics officials and 20 officers have spent two days sorting through hundreds of bags in an effort to find any items that may offer clues.
WA Police Commission Chris Dawson said officers were not giving up.
“We’ve got thousands of (pieces of) really important information plus of course the thousands of forensic items we’ve seized, but it’s now been 16 days,” he said.
“Every day that goes past is the most difficult for Cleo’s parents and loved ones, obviously we share their concern.”
‘We never give up hope and it’s most important that we remain focussed on the goal and the goal is clearly to find Cleo.”
Cleo’s mother, Ellie Smith, posted another plea on social media.
“Every day is getting harder without my shining bright light,” she said.
It remains a mystery as to who was driving the car south from Blowholes Road around the time of Cleo’s disappearance.
A fundraising page set up by a family friend has now been closed at the request of Ellie and Jack. The money raised will help pay for helicopters and search teams, with any leftover going to the family, who have thanked the community for their generosity.