NT Police announce missing five-year-old Grace Hughes located

Mystery still surrounds how a five-year-old Darwin girl and her mother were hidden for 12 days after an alleged kidnapping.

A FIVE-year-old Darwin girl who was allegedly abducted and hidden by a conspiracy group has been found.

Police allege Grace Hughes was taken from a supervised parental visit at an address at Hidden Valley Rd, Berrimah at 1pm on Sunday, August 7.

Police said Grace and her mother were not seen for 12 days, with a group claiming to have helped abduct and hide her and her mother, Laura Hinks.

Detective Superintendent Kirsten Engels confirmed the missing girl and her mother had been located on Friday morning.

“I’m thrilled to share the news that at about 10 o’clock today, Grace Hughes was handed in to the Northern Territory police force,” Supt. Engels said.

“She’s now been returned safely to her home.”

Supt. Engels said Grace had received a medical check and was physically in good health.

“But we can’t discount the effect the past 12 days have had on her,” she said.

“I’m told that she’s happy to be home.

Laura Hinks, 34, and her 5-year-old daughter Grace Hughes have been missing since Sunday. Picture: Supplied/NTPFES

“I certainly think she’ll be happy to get back to the life that a five-year-old should be living and not one of being concealed.”

She said she was “smiling from ear to ear” knowing that Grace was now with her father.

Supt. Engels said a person allegedly connected to a fringe conspiracy group handed the child in to Darwin police.

“We believe a person connected to the group...is the person who handed her in this (Friday) morning.”

Supt. Engels said it was unclear the extent of that person’s involvement with the group.

She said mystery still surrounded where Grace and her mother Laura Hinks were hiding and how they managed to stay concealed for so long.

“We’re still building a fuller picture of what has occurred over the last 12 days,” she said.

“That’s going to make up the bigger inquiry that we’re delving into now.

“For now we’re going to relish in the news that she is safe.

“The investigators have been working tirelessly on this.

“I would suggest not many of them have had much sleep or thought about anything more than getting Grace home.”

Laura Hinks, 34, and her 5-year-old daughter Grace Hughes have been missing since Sunday. Picture: Supplied/NTPFES

Supt Engels said one person was in custody, and a number of others were helping police with their inquiries including Grace’s mother, Ms Hinks.

Grace’s disappearance was the subject of wild social media speculation.

Supt. Engels was highly critical of fringe conspiracy groups “who pushed their agenda at the expense of a child”.

It comes the day after police announced a ‘multi-agency task force’ on Thursday, with the Australian Federal Police and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission joining the search for Grace.

Supt. Engels said the focus of their search had been on an alleged conspiracy group who were claiming to have abducted the five-year-old.

Laura Hinks, 34, and her 5-year-old daughter Grace Hughes have been missing since Sunday. Picture: Supplied/NTPFES

“We know that this group has taken responsibility for the (alleged) abduction and the ongoing concealment (of Grace),” Supt. Engels said.

“They’re pushing their own agendas and own ideologies.

“And we know they are also pushing a lot of false information, and what we do note is they do fail to really recognise the detriment to the health and wellbeing of Grace as they continue to do so.”

Supt. Engels would not be drawn on wild speculation circulating on social media about the circumstances of Grace’s home life but reiterated there was a “legal obligation for her to be brought home”.

Juliet Marie Oldroyd, 50, been charged with abducting five-year-old Grace Hughes from Darwin.

On Tuesday a sovereign citizen and alleged child abductor Juliet Marie Oldroyd, 50, appeared in Darwin Local Court over the five-year-old’s disappearance.

Police have not yet confirmed if anyone else was likely to be charged.