The man accused of abducting four-year-old Cleo Smith from her family’s West Australian campsite will return to court next month.
Terence Kelly, 36, appeared before a magistrate in Carnarvon on Thursday charged with various offences including forcibly taking a child under 16.
The matter will return to court next month.
Kelly, who is alleged to have acted alone, has no connection to Cleo’s family and was not on a list of known sex offenders in Carnarvon.
Cleo was found alive and well early on Wednesday, 18 days after she went missing from her family’s tent at the remote Blowholes campsite.
She was rescued from a property just minutes from her family home in Carnarvon, a coastal town almost 1000km north of Perth.
Police forced entry to the home and found Cleo alone in a room, physically unharmed and playing with toys.
Kelly, who is yet to enter a plea to his charges, was arrested on a nearby street around the same time.
Cleo was pictured smiling in the arms of her mother Ellie Smith on Thursday as they travelled to the local police station.
It’s understood Cleo was set to speak to specialist child interviewers for the first time.
Homicide detective Cameron Blaine, who was among Cleo’s rescuers, said she appeared to be holding up well.
“I can only see her from the outside. But from that point of view, I’m amazed that she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy,” he said.
“It was really heartwarming to see that she’s still bubbly and she’s laughing.
“She’s falling asleep in her mother’s arms. There was one occasion where she asked if she could lay next to mum and have Ellie look at her while she fell asleep.
“It’s really good to see that she’s adjusted, she’s getting some sleep, she’s playing in the backyard exactly how you would expect.”
Police are yet to confirm whether Cleo was kept at other locations while she was apart from her family and have been tight-lipped on the exact intelligence that led officers to her location.
They had been seeking the driver of a car that was seen leaving the Blowholes campsite around the time she was allegedly taken.
AAP
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