Grace Hughes missing: Top cop says five-year-old girl is being concealed by ‘despicable’ group
A missing five-year-old girl is being hidden by a ‘despicable’ group that ‘peddles ideologies and false information’, a top investigator has claimed.
Grace Hughes and her mother Laura Hinks, also known as Laura Bolt, haven’t been seen since they vanished together from a home in Berrimah, in Darwin’s east, on August 9.
Police have ramped up efforts to reunite the little girl with her ‘lawful guardian’ with local cops and the Australian Federal Police pledging they will bring Grace home.
Northern Territory Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Jon Beer said the group that has taken Grace continue ‘to peddle ideologies and false information’.
Grace Hughes and her mother Laura Hinks, also known as Laura Bolt, (pictured) were last seen in the suburb of Berrimah, in Darwin’s east, on August 9
‘NT Police will continue to target this group and any other persons assisting the ongoing harbouring of Grace,’ Sgt Beer said.
‘Police will use every power available to them to locate Grace.
‘Anyone who is found to have harboured those who abducted Grace will face significant charges before the courts.’
The mother and daughter vanished after a supervised parental visit when Ms Hinks, 34, left an address at about 1pm at Hidden Valley Road.
Just days after their disappearance police appealed to individuals they believed were working to keep Grace actively hidden.
NT Police announced on Saturday they had charged a 50-year-old woman in connection with Grace’s disappearance.
She appeared in court in Darwin on Monday on one count of abducting a child under 16 and one count of attempting to abduct a child under 16.
The woman was allegedly refusing to provide police with information to find the girl and her mother.
Police have ramped up efforts to reunite the little girl (pictured) with her ‘lawful guardian’ and will focus their efforts on the individuals allegedly responsible
Detective Superintendent Kirsten Engels said the alleged abduction would be detrimental to the five-year-old’s mental health.
‘We know that there will be people in the community that can assist us, they will know where Grace us and they’ll be able to help us,’ she said on Sunday.
‘We’re asking you to do the right thing, reach out and call police and let us know what information you have, no matter how small.’
Supt Engels said the five-year-old needed to be returned so she could go to school and be reunited with her friends.
‘Whatever issues that are preventing her return should and could be dealt with in appropriate ways, taking Grace in this matter is not appropriate,’ she said.
‘Our primary concern is the wellbeing and safety of Grace, knowing that this would be a very traumatic event being removed from this meeting and separated from her siblings,’ she said.
‘It is likely to have a detrimental effect on her mental and psychological wellbeing.
Detective Superintendent Kirsten Engels (pictured) said the alleged abduction would be detrimental to the five-year-old’s mental health.
‘Ms Hinks’ last known address was in Moulden (at nearby Palmerston), but she no longer appears to be living there.’
Grace is described as having a fair complexion with brown hair and eyes.
She was last seen wearing a short-sleeved white dress, as well as white socks and black sneakers.
Her mother has a fair complexion, a slim build and dark hair and eyes.
She was last seen wearing a white and green floral-patterned ankle-length dress or skirt, with a white or cream long-sleeved shirt.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
