Cleo Smith thriving years after kidnapping ordeal in Carnarvon, family says

The four-year-old at the centre of one of Australia’s highest profile missing persons cases is thriving almost five years on from the ordeal, her family says.

Cleo Smith was taken from her tent at a remote campsite 900km north of Perth in October 2021 and held by a kidnapper in the small town her family called home for 18 days.

The kidnapper pleaded guilty and will serve a minimum 11½ years in jail before he is eligible for parole.

Cleo’s family have this week told 60 Minutes their daughter is thriving.

The eight-year-old is a loving big sister and enjoys extra-curricular activities like swimming, the family says.

Cleo recently went overseas for the first time to compete in an international gymnastics tournament. Footage shared with 60 Minutes shows Cleo jumping, gliding and handstanding across the gymnastics floor and balance beam.

On October 16, 2021, Cleo and her family were camping outside their home town of Carnarvon when she was taken from her tent in the early morning hours. The huge police and SES search dominated headlines in Australia and overseas.

After 18 days, police raided a house and found the little girl.

Footage of the rescue was beamed widely across the airwaves and news sites. The house she was being held in was just a few streets from the family home.

Terence Darrell Kelly, then aged in his mid-30s, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to forcibly taking a child under 16.

Kelly was taken to WA’s maximum security prison outside Perth two days later. In April 2023, Kelly was sentenced to 13½ years in prison, with an 11½ year non-parole period.

In September 2024, the Court of Appeal rejected a bid to reduce his sentence after lawyers argued Kelly’s mental impairments and severe personality dysfunction were not duly considered.

Kelly’s lawyers also argued the sentencing judge did not give enough consideration to Kelly’s childhood disadvantage and trauma. The state prosecutor had opposed the sentence appeal.