Cleo Smith went missing in a remote campsite. Photo / Supplied
Cleo Smith went missing in a remote campsite. Photo / Supplied
Police are yet to identify the driver of a vehicle seen in the middle of the night near the Australian campsite where 4-year-old Cleo Smith vanished almost two weeks ago.
Lead investigator Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde also confirmed police did not have any suspects "at this stage" in the mysterious case.
Police suspect Cleo was abducted from the family tent at the Blowholes campground in Macleod, near Carnarvon in Western Australia's north, on October 16, and have been collecting CCTV and dashcam footage ever since in a bid to find her.
For the past week, detectives have been keen to find the driver of a vehicle seen by two people turning right off Blowholes Rd onto North West Coastal Hwy, heading towards Carnarvon, between 3am and 3.30am the day Cleo disappeared.
Police have repeatedly indicated the person may not be a suspect but may have relevant information.
Asked on Friday whether police were growing more concerned about the car given so much time had passed without the person coming forward, Superintendent Wilde said: "It's a priority for us to identify who was in that vehicle so we'd like that person to come forward ... we haven't identified that vehicle yet and we'd like to do so."
Superintendent Wilde also provided a timeline of that fateful day, starting with the call from Cleo's distressed mother Ellie Smith at 6.23am.
• Just before 6.30am the first car with two officers was sent to the scene under priority two, with lights and sirens going, arriving at 7.10am; • 6.41am a second vehicle was sent, followed by a third at 7.44am; • 7.26am a protected forensic area was set up at the scene; • 7.33am police requested a drone operator attend; • 8am some family and friends arrived to help with the search. Meanwhile, detectives visited the family home, then went to the Blowholes and began stopping vehicles close to the search area; • 8.09am a local company helicopter arrived to help with the search; • 8.11am SES team requested and they arrived just over an hour later; • 8.24am Inspector Jon Munday arranged to leave Geraldton to take command in Carnarvon. Police air wing and volunteer search and rescue were also contacted; • 8.34am police set up a roadblock at the Blowholes; • 9.30am detectives sat with Ms Smith and remained with her all day; and • 11am homicide detectives were deployed.
Asked why police did not lock down the campsite immediately when officers arrived at the scene, Superintendent Wilde said: "Obviously, the first police getting there had to establish what's actually taken place."
Ellie Smith and her partner Jake Gliddon. Photo / WA Police
He further added: "It's a large area ... they did a great job by establishing a protective forensic area, containing the tent and all the evidence that may be contained within that immediately, so the first officers at the scene did a really good and thorough job."
Asked why the marine search was called off early, he said police relied on experts regarding the terrain and water conditions.
A $1 million reward has been offered by the state government for information that solves the girl's mystery disappearance.
Superintendent Wilde previously revealed there had been more than 200 possible sightings of Cleo reported to police since she vanished but all had proved "unfruitful".
He said on Friday Cleo's sleeping bag also remained missing despite some calls from the public.
Ms Smith and Cleo's stepfather Jake Gliddon have vehemently denied having any involvement in her disappearance.
Police have also repeatedly said they are not suspects, nor is Cleo's father.
But that has not stopped some internet trolls from accusing them.
