Cleo Smith search: WA Police forensic officers return to Smith home, Blowholes campsite

Forensic police collected ash samples from fires at the Blowholes campgrounds on Wednesday hours after investigators searched the Carnarvon home of missing four-year-old Cleo Smith for the third time since she vanished 12 days ago.

Acting Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the “thorough investigation” was something police must do to rule out everyone at the Blowholes when Cleo disappeared as a suspect, including her parents.

“The parents have been nothing but helpful,” Mr Blanch said. “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 camp site, and that is a systematic and thorough approach in doing so in any investigation. And that really is the focus of the investigation at the moment.”

Cleo’s mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon left Carnarvon police station on Wednesday as officers wearing gloves and masks conducted another examination inside the home before turning their attention to the perimeter of the property.

A forensics officer took a camera into the house and at least two evidence bags were removed. The officers left the property just before 1pm.

Police have previously searched inside and outside the Illingworth Street house, with a team spending more than seven hours there on Tuesday taking photos and using torches to examine walls before leaving about 10.30pm.

Officers also returned to the Blowholes camp site about 70km north of the town to collect samples from some of the campfires at the site. They stayed in the area for a few hours before leaving about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

Mr Blanch said despite the little girl being missing for 12 days it was important everyone still held hope Cleo would come home safely. He said police would not stop until they had answers.

Lead investigator Det-Supt Rod Wilde of the major crime division is expected to fly to Carnarvon on Thursday.

“There’s a massive police team up in Carnarvon, up at the Blowholes, still working every day,” Mr Blanch said. “I think 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 billboard highlighting the $1 million reward and featuring pictures of Cleo, what she was wearing when she disappeared and her sleeping bag has also sprung up more than 1000km away in Bunbury.

The complex investigation is focusing on CCTV footage from businesses and houses that police hope could have captured a car seen turning turning right on to North West Coastal highway at 3am on the Saturday Cleo went missing.

Mr Blanch urged anyone who saw the car to speak to his officers.