A desperate search has been launched for a five-year-old girl in the Northern Territory as police raise fears she has been abducted.

Sharon was reported missing from her home at Old Timers Aboriginal town camp in Alice Springs at about 1.30am on Sunday after being put to bed.

NT Acting Commander Mark Grieve said authorities are seeking to locate a 47-year-old man named Jefferson Lewis, who they believe can assist with their investigation.

‘We do believe Sharon has been abducted and we believe [he] may be able to provide us with some information in regards to that,’ Acting Commander Grieve told reporters a press conference on Monday.

Lewis holds previous convictions for physical assaults and domestic violence offences and was recently released from prison.

‘We’re still trying to work through his movements since he got out of prison. We know that he was in and around Old Timers camp and that particular residence [on] Saturday afternoon into that evening,’ Acting Commander Grieve said.

‘We don’t have any information in regards to whether Mr Lewis has access to a vehicle – we don’t think he does – so we’re hoping that he is still in the immediate area. 

‘And if he is involved, we certainly hope that no harm has come to Sharon.’

Acting Commander Grieve said police ‘suspect’ Lewis could provide information as to the whereabouts of Sharon due to a number of factors.

‘He’s the only person we haven’t been able to locate and speak to, who was in and around that area at the time,’ he said.

‘Considering himself and Sharon went missing at around the same time, it certainly brings about those suspicious circumstances and we’d like to speak to him about that.’

He said police have provided wrap around support to Sharon’s family as the search for their little girl continues.

‘It’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing. We’re over 24 hours now so it’d certainly be my worst nightmare as a parent,’ he said. 

‘We’re wrapping around the mother, we’ve facilitated some other accomodation to provide her with some extra support and her family members…

‘So the call for public assistance, please, if you’ve got any information, regardless of how small in detail you think it may be, please let just know.

‘We want to find Sharon healthy and we want to get her back to her family.’

Police believe Lewis and Sharon are not directly related but are known to each other.

Sharon was last seen wearing a dark blue short sleeve T-shirt with a white ring stripe around neck and white ring stripe around the end of the sleeves, and a pair of black boxer style underwear.

Police are urging anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference number P26120934. 

More to come.