Abducted girl, 8, found slain

BUNDABERG - Queensland police launched an intense search yesterday for the killer of an 8-year-old girl abducted from her home in Bundaberg.

The girl's parents had put her to bed on Sunday night, only to discover her missing yesterday morning.

Police and sniffer dogs started a search of the neighbourhood after her father reported her disappearance about 5.44am.

An officer found her body a short time later in a pipe that ran off a storm drain near her home.

The body is believed to have been removed from the scene around 6.30pm and three houses on Walker St, including the girl's home, remained taped off late last night.

"Early indications are it's a possible break-and-enter at that premises," Detective Superintendent Maurice Carless told reporters.

"We're certainly treating it as a murder."

A baby was also in the house when the girl went missing, but Carless said the infant was not harmed.

Police did not have a person of interest, he said, and it was not yet known whether the girl had been sexually assaulted.

"We are going through a process of identifying people who may have knowledge of the people and the locality."

Earlier, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told reporters in Brisbane that she felt for the family.

"Our hearts go out to the family of this little girl and this is a very, very sad incident."

- AAP