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Man charged over abduction of 4-year-old Cleo Smith

Police in Western Australia have charged a 36-year-old man with "forcibly taking a child under 16" in relation to the disappearance of 4-year-old Cleo Smith on 16 October.

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By
Pauline Lockwood
CNN — Police in Western Australia have charged a 36-year-old man with "forcibly taking a child under 16" in relation to the disappearance of 4-year-old Cleo Smith on 16 October.

In a statement, police said man had been charged with "various offenses" in relation to the disappearance of Smith, who was found Wednesday morning, 18 days after her family first reported her missing,

The man, who was identified by Australian public broadcaster as Terence Kelly, will appear in Carnavon court on Thursday afternoon, the police statement adds.

Cleo Smith was found by police in the early hours of Wednesday morning in a locked house in Carnarvon, a town in the state of Western Australia, some 30 miles from the campsite where she was apparently abducted close to three weeks ago.

Police said Cleo was found in a room in the house with the lights on, awake and playing with toys. Police are yet to interview the girl, but specialists have arrived in Carnarvon from Perth to do so.

On Thursday, Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said he met with Cleo and her family, describing her as "very well adjusted, considering (her ordeal)."

"She has done a bit of sleeping and a lot of eating, a lot of lying around and cuddling," McGowan said.

Detective Superintendent Wilde said Cleo had also been checked out at the hospital, and "physically she is OK."

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