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| Police appeal for witnesses after toddler found dead in Melbourne creek | Police appeal for witnesses after toddler found dead in Melbourne creek |
| (5 months later) | |
| Police are appealing for witnesses after a Melbourne toddler was found dead in a creek after she was snatched. | Police are appealing for witnesses after a Melbourne toddler was found dead in a creek after she was snatched. |
| Detectives spent Sunday scouring the crime scene at Heidelberg West, also retracing the steps of Sanaya Sahib’s mother and searching a home where the pair had been staying. | Detectives spent Sunday scouring the crime scene at Heidelberg West, also retracing the steps of Sanaya Sahib’s mother and searching a home where the pair had been staying. |
| No one has been arrested and the investigation was set to continue on Monday, a Victoria police spokeswoman said. | No one has been arrested and the investigation was set to continue on Monday, a Victoria police spokeswoman said. |
| Detective senior sergeant Stuart Bailey said it wasn’t known how long the toddler’s body had been in the water and appealed for anyone who saw the incident, the child or her blue and yellow pram to come forward. | Detective senior sergeant Stuart Bailey said it wasn’t known how long the toddler’s body had been in the water and appealed for anyone who saw the incident, the child or her blue and yellow pram to come forward. |
| Sofina Nikat, 22, told police her 15-month-old girl was snatched out of her pram at Olympic Park about 10am on Saturday by a man who smelt of alcohol and was not wearing shoes. | Sofina Nikat, 22, told police her 15-month-old girl was snatched out of her pram at Olympic Park about 10am on Saturday by a man who smelt of alcohol and was not wearing shoes. |
| She said was pushed to the ground by the man, who ran off with her daughter towards a nearby shopping centre. | She said was pushed to the ground by the man, who ran off with her daughter towards a nearby shopping centre. |
| The toddler’s body was found in Darebin Creek just before 3am on Sunday by a family who had seen social media posts about her disappearance and wanted to help. | The toddler’s body was found in Darebin Creek just before 3am on Sunday by a family who had seen social media posts about her disappearance and wanted to help. |
| Sheraz Sahib, Sanaya’s grandfather, publicly thanked the family, locals and authorities on Sunday. | Sheraz Sahib, Sanaya’s grandfather, publicly thanked the family, locals and authorities on Sunday. |
| He said Sanaya’s relatives were in total shock but receiving lots of support. | He said Sanaya’s relatives were in total shock but receiving lots of support. |
| “My granddaughter Sanaya will be missed by us all,” he told reporters. “She was a beautiful child who has been taken from us too soon.” | “My granddaughter Sanaya will be missed by us all,” he told reporters. “She was a beautiful child who has been taken from us too soon.” |
| Both parents are said to be extremely distressed but have been helping police. | Both parents are said to be extremely distressed but have been helping police. |
| Police retraced Nikat’s steps on Sunday and conducted line searches in bushland near the creek. Tribute flowers and teddy bears have been left at the scene. | Police retraced Nikat’s steps on Sunday and conducted line searches in bushland near the creek. Tribute flowers and teddy bears have been left at the scene. |
| The Banyule city council mayor, Craig Langdon, said the close-knit community, based in the footprint of the 1956 Olympic village, was “grieving greatly”. | The Banyule city council mayor, Craig Langdon, said the close-knit community, based in the footprint of the 1956 Olympic village, was “grieving greatly”. |
| “I think we all want an explanation that we could relate to,” Langdon told ABC radio in Melbourne on Monday. “A random act would be a terrifying thing for all of us … that would be the worst outcome.” | “I think we all want an explanation that we could relate to,” Langdon told ABC radio in Melbourne on Monday. “A random act would be a terrifying thing for all of us … that would be the worst outcome.” |
| Langdon said his thoughts were with the toddler’s family. | Langdon said his thoughts were with the toddler’s family. |
| “It would be a tragic loss to any family but to find a child like that in the Darebin Creek... I can’t imagine what they are going through,” he said. | “It would be a tragic loss to any family but to find a child like that in the Darebin Creek... I can’t imagine what they are going through,” he said. |
| Neighbour Melynda Smith said of Sanaya: “She was happy, she was well looked after.” | Neighbour Melynda Smith said of Sanaya: “She was happy, she was well looked after.” |