What really unfolded on the night a five-year-old girl was stolen from her bed and murdered – as new details reveal the chilling exchange between cops and her suspected killer just hours before the pair vanished

Just hours before Little Baby Kumanjayi was snatched from his bed and murdered, police came face to face with the man accused of this horrific crime.

Chillingly, on Anzac Day, officers were called to the Old Timers camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs, where they spent time talking to Jefferson Lewis.

Hours later, the 47-year-old man allegedly sneaked into the room where the five-year-old girl was lying on a mattress and then snuck her out through a side door.

The little girl’s family wanted her to be known as Kumanjayi Little Baby. Kumanjayi is a name used by the Warlpiri people to replace a deceased person to avoid the taboo of saying their name after death.

Just before sunset at the camp, a young man began acting erratically, running up and down the single street, screaming and waving his arms.

Concerned neighbors feared for her safety as well as their own, and watched anxiously as the situation escalated.

Relief came when a large man stepped in to take control.

Neighbors say the man is Lewis, who was released from prison six days ago and returned to the community after his last stint behind bars.

Just hours before Little Baby Kumanjayi (pictured) was snatched from his bed and murdered, police came face to face with the man accused of this horrific crime.

Jefferson Lewis, 47, allegedly sneaked into the room where the five-year-old girl was lying on a mattress and then snuck her out through a side door.

“He caught the young man,” neighbor Matthew told the Daily Mail on Saturday.

‘The kid was acting crazy and no one knew what to do but then Jefferson caught him and held him down.

‘I think the boy had mental health problems.

‘I’m not so sure but the situation wasn’t good, there were kids around and everyone was worried. ‘I don’t even know where he came from or who he was with.’

According to Matthew, police arrived and spoke with Lewis at length before helping officers place him in their vehicle after he continued to restrain the man.

‘This was the first time we really saw it,’ he said.

‘I didn’t know him before but I thought he was nice.’

However, this brief interaction would take on a much darker meaning as the night progressed.

The little girl was last seen at the Old Timers camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs.

Flowers are seen at Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family home

Like much of Australia, residents on the quiet street were celebrating the Anzac Day holiday with drinks and gatherings.

There was even more reason to celebrate as the family gathered for a birthday at Kumanjayi Little Baby’s home.

“I heard them all singing Happy Birthday,” another neighbor Dennis told the Daily Mail. ‘They were very happy that day, singing and having fun.’

By evening, this joy would turn into panic.

Dennis said she fell asleep next to her tent in the early evening, but was shaken awake by the chaos when the family realized the little girl was missing.

Still awake and sitting in his garden, Matthew said the search began immediately.

‘They couldn’t find him so they ran to houses and asked if we had seen him,’ he said.

At first the family was afraid he would just walk away. But within minutes, that hope was replaced by something much worse.

The family of five-year-old Little Baby Kumanjayi, who was allegedly killed by a violent ex-con, left the home where he was abducted (Grandma Karen White, pictured)

Jefferson is seen being arrested by police after being beaten by vigilante rioters

“They came, they were looking around, and then someone said, ‘This guy’s missing too,'” Matthew said.

‘That Jefferson wasn’t there anymore, he was gone and they knew it.’

Panic quickly spread through the small camp.

Dennis said he woke up to the sound of screaming as the search intensified.

‘They were screaming and crying,’ he said. ‘Everyone was asking if I had seen a man walking past me and going into the bushes with a little girl.’

He and his wife, Doreen, who are living in a tent behind the house while they wait for permanent housing, said the entire community is in shock.

In the following hours, Dennis realized that his alleged kidnapper might have come just a few feet away from where he was sleeping.

“There’s a hole in the camp fence over there,” he said, pointing at it. ‘From there it must have passed down the riverbed, past the racecourse.’

The family says the events at their home are troubling them (pictured)

While the search efforts continued intensively, the police were called to the scene.

“They were fine,” Matthew said. ‘They came here quickly and started searching, then took the drone up to search for them.’

Dennis said the family searched throughout the night and more relatives arrived to help the next morning.

‘The whole street was full of cars and people everywhere looking at the lawns and the police were searching houses,’ he said.

Only later did Dennis realize who the man at the center of it all was.

‘I don’t know him, but he’s been here before,’ he said. ‘He was at home during his time in prison.

‘His son was living there with his wife and they also had a baby. He and Karen lived there for a long time and it was beautiful. They are a beautiful family, they are always happy.

‘He had good memories in that house before this.’

Neighbors said the family had ‘good memories’ at the house before the incident

Kumanjayi Little Baby’s body was found just before noon on Thursday in woodland about 5km south of Old Timers camp.

The discovery came after police found underwear and the yellow blouse Lewis was wearing the night she disappeared at a crime scene near the camp.

Forensic test results revealed traces of two DNA profiles matching both her own and Lewis’s were found on her underwear.

Lewis was found on Thursday night after vigilantes spotted him walking through a camp in Alice Springs and knocked him unconscious before police arrived.

He is expected to be charged on Saturday.