Criminologist says police would have been looking for signs of a ‘struggle’ in Cleo Smith’s home

A leading criminologist has revealed the heartbreaking clue that police would have been looking for inside Cleo Smith’s family home.

One of Australia’s leading criminologists has revealed the heartbreaking clues that police would have been looking for inside Cleo Smith’s family home.

Police have now ruled out the missing four-year-old’s parents as suspects after a third search of the home in Carnarvon on Wednesday.

Dr Xanthe Mallett said investigators would have likely been looking for “signs of injuries or struggles” inside the home.

“It’s just to rule out any kind of potential issues that may have happened at home, but certainly the family have been ruled out as suspects at this time, that was stated yesterday so really they are covering their bases to make sure they have all the information going forward,” she told Sunrise.

Supplied Police search Cleo Smith's family home. Picture: 7 News

“You would have to look at the family, that would be part of the investigation sadly. Along with all of the avenues that they will be investigating.

“They need to make sure that they collect the evidence that may be available at the beginning so it is not lost so I’d certainly expect them to such that family property as part of any routine investigation.”

It has now been 13 days since Cleo vanished which Dr Mallett said was a “really long time in a missing child investigation”.

“Obviously she could be anywhere in the country, has she been abducted,” she said. “It is a significant worry and every day that passes, obviously getting more concerned for her safety.”

It comes as the Australian Federal Police have joined the search for Cleo.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed the agency’s involvement in the suspected abduction case on Tuesday, saying he hoped the AFP’s “very advanced capabilities” would help the investigation.

Cleo Smith has now been missing for 13 days. Picture: Facebook

“I’m very pleased to say that they’re helping in every way they possibly can through their intelligence capabilities, their technology and their forensics abilities,” he said.

“I just hope we can find Cleo ... I think the whole nation is just waiting and hoping and praying.

“I just want to assure everybody over there in WA, particularly the family and friends of poor Cleo, this is really capturing the minds of the country.”

Creepy warning from Cleo campsite

A sinister warning of an attempted abduction emerged more than seven years ago from the remote campsite where Cleo was last seen.

The social media post on a local Carnarvon chat page raised concerns about a child being approached by a man at the Blowholes campsite.

The local said the girl was approached by a “male aged in his late 40s with a beard” and who was driving a “small red car” at the popular coastal campground in July 2014. The girl’s mother said she reported the incident to police at the time.

“ATTENTION PLEASE BE AWARE …” the mother’s post started. “The man asked her if she would get in the car and go for a drive.

“She said no and took off straight back to camp. Sorry I don’t have a better description as she was quite freaked out.

“The police have bn [sic] notified. Good time to remind our precious one [sic] of stranger danger.”

Police believe that Cleo was abducted after she vanished from a tent she shared with her mother Ellie Smith, stepfather Jake Gliddon and baby sister Isla on October 16.

She had woken about 1.30am and her mother gave her a sip of water and she went back to bed. When they woke at about 6am, the tent’s zipper was open to a height the little girl would not be able to reach and she was gone. Her sleeping bag was also missing.

Last week it was revealed by police that up to 20 registered sex offenders live in the Carnarvon area, all of whom have been interviewed by police.

At this stage, police have not named any suspects in the little girl’s disappearance.

Police make big call

West Australian Police searched Cleo’s home for a third time yesterday, and they have now said her parents are not suspects in the mysterious disappearance.

Acting Police Commissioner Col Blanch said forensic examinations at the Carnarvon home of Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon was “standard practice” and part of eliminating everyone who was at the Blowholes Campground in Macleod on October 16 as a suspect.

“We must do a thorough investigation,” Mr Blanch told 6PR radio on Wednesday.

“The parents have been nothing but helpful. We’ve worked very closely with them, they’ve let us into their home, they’ve let us into their cars, their phones – everything.

“Our job is to eliminate everyone that was at that campsite, and that is a systematic and thorough approach in doing so in any investigation.

“That really is the focus of the investigation at the moment.”

On Tuesday, detectives and forensic officers scoured through the home for several hours before leaving with two evidence bags.

Ms Smith and Mr Gliddon have also vehemently denied having any involvement in the girl’s disappearance.

“No way – we love our daughter and want her home,” Ms Smith told Seven’s Flashpoint program.

“There is no way that either myself or Jake could have done anything to hurt our daughter. “She’s been taken from our family, from somewhere she’s meant to feel safe.”

Mr Blanch said police were still “very open-minded” with their investigation and they still held hope Cleo would return home safely.

“There’s a massive police team up in Carnarvon, up at the blowholes, still working every day,” he said.

Cleo’s parents Jake Gliddon and Ellie Smith have been ruled out as suspects. Picture: Flashpoint/Channel 7

“It’s important we all have hope that we can bring Cleo home.

“The team are focused on finding Cleo, getting the evidence and doing the best we can to solve this and that’s really our priority.”

A major focus of the police investigation revolves around a report from two people who said they saw a car turn right off Blowholes Rd onto North West Coastal Highway, heading towards Carnarvon, between 3am and 3.30am the day Cleo vanished.

Anyone with information about Cleo’s disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

– with NCA NewsWire

[e-mail]