People in Mparntwe / Alice Springs and the Northern Territory are continuing to grieve in the wake of the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, as crowds in the town are being asked to pay tribute by wearing pink — her favourite colour.
The young girl, referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby after her death at her family's request in line with cultural traditions, disappeared from her home, the Aboriginal town camp of Old Timers, on the outskirts of Mparntwe / Alice Springs, on Anzac Day.
On Thursday, her body was found following a massive search involving hundreds of volunteers, prompting an outpouring of grief and emotion across the community.
Speaking on Radio National on Monday morning, Mparntwe / Alice Springs mayor Asta Hill said the town feels "really still and sombre", noting there is a "sense of collective grieving and respect being paid to the family and kin who are in sorry business right now".
"There is also a really palpable determination to support one another, particularly the family," she said, highlighting how hundreds of "volunteers and Aboriginal organisations, business police and emergency services" came together for five days to search for Kumanjayi Little Baby.
Ms Hill said community members had offered donations for the funeral, and there is a food drop set up at the entrance of the town camp where sorry business is taking place.
She said a vigil would be held on Thursday, "where we will wrap our arms around the family and each other", while Monday's Bangtail Muster parade — an annual procession through the main street — will be marked with pink ribbons.
The family have "asked that we wear pink ribbons in honour of Kumanjayi Little Baby because that was her favourite colour, so we'll all be doing that", Ms Hill told the ABC on Sunday.
On Saturday night, Jefferson Lewis, 47, was charged with the murder of Kumanjayi Little Baby, along with two other charges that cannot be reported for legal reasons.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear in Alice Springs Local Court via video link on Tuesday.
The events have led to calls by some for a review of conditions within town camps, as well as money spent, including by Shadow Minister for Small Business Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who last week revealed she was related to the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby.
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser noted the "unimaginable grief and sadness" for the family.
"It's unimaginable for any parent to think about what that must be like — for the mom and the broader family, and my heart goes out to the family in this time of great grief and sadness for them," he told Radio National on Monday.
Mr Leeser said there had been a "range of people" — including Senator Price and the Indigenous child commissioner, Sue-Anne Hunter — who have made comments on what needs to be done, and he would be heading to the town this week to "look on the ground myself at the situation and to talk to people".
"Fundamentally, you have inquiries," he said. "You look at some of these matters, because you don't want these sorts of things to happen ever again. And there are issues beyond that which the coronial inquest can look at. And ultimately, this is about the safety of Aboriginal children."
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