Australian girl missing, human remains found in crocodile territory
Since Tuesday, Australian authorities have been searching for a 12-year-old girl who disappeared after entering the water. Officers reported finding human remains, suggesting that the child may have fallen victim to a crocodile.
10:21 AM EDT, July 4, 2024
The girl disappeared Tuesday evening after swimming in Mango Creek near Palumpa, a small settlement. Authorities discovered human remains, which they believe belong to the missing 12-year-old, during the search of the river.
This is devastating news for the family, the community and everyone involved in the search, Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson reported to the BBC.
Australian authorities are providing full support to the family of the deceased 12-year-old. Right after the girl went missing, desperate searches began, involving 40 people from the local community. They combed the area on foot, by boat, and using helicopters, covering rugged terrain overgrown with dense vegetation. From the beginning, it was suspected that the child might have fallen victim to a crocodile.
Although crocodile attacks are rare, they still unfortunately happen. In 2013, a 15-foot crocodile that terrorized residents near Palumpa was shot. In 2017, a 54-year-old man was injured in a crocodile attack in the same area.
The crocodile is to be found and removed from the area
Australian police confirmed that on Wednesday, officers responsible for wildlife were ordered to find and remove the crocodile accountable for the death of the 12-year-old.
We live in a place where crocodiles occupy our water places... it's just a reminder to stay out of the water as best we can, it was stated in a special message.
The previous fatal crocodile attack occurred here in 2018.
