Girl in suitcase identified as Khandalyce Kiara Pearce; mother Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson found in Belanglo State Forest

Updated

Remains of a child found near a suitcase alongside a South Australian highway earlier this year have been identified as two-year-old girl Khandalyce Kiara Pearce.

Her mother is Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson, whose body was found in Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales in 2010.

Both Khandalyce and Karlie were reported missing in the Northern Territory on September 4, 2009, by Karlie's mother but police said the report was later withdrawn.

Karlie was a single mother and had moved away from her family with Khandalyce between 2006 and 2008, intending to travel and work.

She was last seen driving a car with Khandalyce on the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy on November 8, 2008.

Police said Karlie was aged 20 at the time while Khandalyce was aged two.

NSW homicide commander Mick Willing said Karlie's mother withdrew her missing person's report on September 10, 2009, "after she was reassured that Karlie was safe and well, but did not want family contact at that time".

"Police were told that, sporadically, Karlie was in contact with her mother but the contact became less frequent over time and sadly Karlie's mum has since passed away.

"Even after this time, the extended family believed Karlie and Khandalyce were living interstate and were safe and well."

NT Police said in a statement: "There were no adverse elements within the investigation to counter the belief of Karli's mum at that time."

"Karli's mum has tragically passed away since then and it is understood her remaining family believed Karli was still alive albeit estranged."

SA Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray said both mother and daughter suffered violent deaths and a joint operation with NSW police was focused on finding the person or persons responsible.

"This is one of the most shocking crimes, shocking and unimaginable and another family has been torn apart and devastated," he said.

"Those people that are responsible for this crime are truly evil and must be quickly caught and held to account for what they've done."

He said it was premature to talk about suspects and said police were not prepared to "speculate" at this stage.

Superintendent Bray said the circumstances and time of the deaths had yet to be determined.

Commander Willing said police knew who the father was and he had been contacted.

"I can't comment on any lines of inquiry or any suspects, but I can say that the family are not involved."

Significant development in case came with phone call

Police said the "significant development" began on October 8 when a call to Crime Stoppers "nominated Khandalyce as possibly being the little girl in the suitcase".

"Investigators then located a witness who had seen Khandalyce and her mother at Marion Shopping Centre, Adelaide, in November 2008," police said.

"She had taken photos of Khandalyce wearing a pink dress."

Police said the dress was identical to the dress found with the remains in the suitcase, which was found off the Karoonda Highway near Wynarka in SA's Murray Mallee on July 14 and reported to police the following day.

The family of Karlie and Khandalyce said in a statement they were grateful to the police, the community and media, "and everyone who has assisted or provided information in this investigation".

"As you would expect, our family is devastated by this news of the deaths of Karlie and Khandalyce and we are trying to deal with the grief," they said.

"We understand that this case has created considerable interest across the country but at this time we ask that you respect our privacy to allow us to grieve."

Khandalyce's remains found dumped near a suitcase

Police said Khandalyce's remains were originally dumped in a suitcase up to three months earlier, before somebody unknown tipped out the contents, including the child's remains, before dragging the suitcase onto the verge.

Investigators are still trying to identify a man, believed to be in his 60s, who was seen in the Wynarka area with a dark suitcase on both April 13 and May 26.

The skeleton of a woman was found in the Belanglo State Forest in August 2010 and more than a year later NSW police released a likeness of the woman, who they believed to be aged between 13 and 25, and murdered in the past decade.

Police also released an artist's impression of a T-shirt which was found near the bones. The T-shirt carried a distinct motif featuring the word "Angelic" in pink text, a rose, and a heart with angel wings.

The type of T-shirt was available for sale in New South Wales and other parts of Australia from the early to mid-2000s.

Belanglo is notorious as the former stamping ground of serial killer Ivan Milat, who was convicted in 1996 over the murders of seven young people in the area.

It is understood Karlie and Khandalyce may have lived in Canberra for a period prior to their disappearance.

ACT police said for this reason they were assisting detectives from New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory with their investigations.

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Angel and her little girl's story

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Khandalyce Kiara Pearce is born in Alice Springs in 2006.

The little girl's mother Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson was also born in Alice Springs.

In 2008 the pair moved away from their family and began to travel.

Pearce-Stevenson had planned to find work.

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The mother and daughter were seen driving on the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy on November 8, 2008.

They were last seen alive in Canberra in December 2008.

Ms Pearce-Stevenson was 20 and Khandalyce was aged two.

Her family raised the alarm and contacted Northern Territory Police on September 4, 2009, to make a Missing Person Report.

That report was closed on September 10 after it was believed Ms Pearce-Stevenson was safe and did not want family contact.

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The skeleton of a woman is found in the Belanglo State Forest in August 2010 near where serial killer Ivan Milat dumped the bodies of his seven backpacker victims in the 1990s.

Milat was convicted for his crimes in 1996 and remains in jail.

The unidentified woman was named "Angel" by NSW Police as she was found with a T-shirt bearing an 'Angelic' motif across the front.

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A passing motorist finds a suitcase and bones near the side of the Karoonda Highway about two kilometres west of Wynarka, in South Australia's Murray Mallee, in July 2015.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray said the motorist was driving along the highway when their attention was "drawn to something on the side of the road".

"They stopped, had a look behind some bushes, and found what we now know to be the skeleton of a young child," he said.

A suitcase and scattered clothes were found nearby.

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A Crime Stopper caller on October 8, 2015, names Khandalyce as possibly being the little girl found near the suitcase.

The caller had not seen the child or Ms Pearce-Stevenson for some time and believed they were missing.

Police discover Khandalyce was immunised at 18 months but there was no further record of her receiving medical treatment or being enrolled in school.

Officers locate a witness who had seen the pair at Marion Shopping Centre in Adelaide in November 2008.

She had taken photos of Khandalyce wearing a pink dress. That dress was found with the remains in the suitcase.

A blood sample from Khandalyce's medical records was analysed by Forensic Science South Australia and conclusively matched the DNA profile extracted from the skeletal remains near the suitcase.

Blood samples from Ms Pearce-Stevenson medical records were also used to develop a DNA profile. This was sent to police in NSW, who confirmed that they matched that of "Angel".

Khandalyce Kiara Pearce is born in Alice Springs in 2006.The little girl's mother Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson was also born in Alice Springs.In 2008 the pair moved away from their family and began to travel.Pearce-Stevenson had planned to find work.The mother and daughter were seen driving on the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy on November 8, 2008.They were last seen alive in Canberra in December 2008.Ms Pearce-Stevenson was 20 and Khandalyce was aged two.Her family raised the alarm and contacted Northern Territory Police on September 4, 2009, to make a Missing Person Report.That report was closed on September 10 after it was believed Ms Pearce-Stevenson was safe and did not want family contact.The skeleton of a woman is found in the Belanglo State Forest in August 2010 near where serial killer Ivan Milat dumped the bodies of his seven backpacker victims in the 1990s.Milat was convicted for his crimes in 1996 and remains in jail.The unidentified woman was named "Angel" by NSW Police as she was found with a T-shirt bearing an 'Angelic' motif across the front.A passing motorist finds a suitcase and bones near the side of the Karoonda Highway about two kilometres west of Wynarka, in South Australia's Murray Mallee, in July 2015.Detective Superintendent Des Bray said the motorist was driving along the highway when their attention was "drawn to something on the side of the road"."They stopped, had a look behind some bushes, and found what we now know to be the skeleton of a young child," he said.A suitcase and scattered clothes were found nearby.A Crime Stopper caller on October 8, 2015, names Khandalyce as possibly being the little girl found near the suitcase.The caller had not seen the child or Ms Pearce-Stevenson for some time and believed they were missing.Police discover Khandalyce was immunised at 18 months but there was no further record of her receiving medical treatment or being enrolled in school.Officers locate a witness who had seen the pair at Marion Shopping Centre in Adelaide in November 2008.She had taken photos of Khandalyce wearing a pink dress. That dress was found with the remains in the suitcase.A blood sample from Khandalyce's medical records was analysed by Forensic Science South Australia and conclusively matched the DNA profile extracted from the skeletal remains near the suitcase.Blood samples from Ms Pearce-Stevenson medical records were also used to develop a DNA profile. This was sent to police in NSW, who confirmed that they matched that of "Angel".

Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, crime, law-crime-and-justice, wynarka-5306, sa, adelaide-5000, bowral-2576, nsw, nt

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