A man wrongly identified as the alleged kidnapper of four-year-old Cleo Smith was threatened with being speared and killed and sought protection from the police, sources close to the investigation told Daily Mail Australia.
Terrance Flowers calls himself Terry Kelly on social media - the same name shared by Cleo's suspected abductor. However, the wrong man was widely pictured and shamed on social media following the girl's rescue on Wednesday.
After being misidentified, Mr Flowers was bombarded with death threats, including that he would be speared in a traditional Aboriginal punishment, police sources said.
The misidentification came as Western Australia's Police Commissioner Chris Dawson reportedly held an emergency meeting with 20 Aboriginal elders in Carnarvon to ask for their help in preventing recriminations in the community.
Police are concerned Indigenous locals are being targeted by racists over Cleo's abduction, and also hold fears of recriminations amongst the community, a report said.
A Western Australia man got death threats, including that he would be speared, after being wrongly identified as a suspect in the kidnapping of Cleo Smith (pictured)
A man wrongly identified as the suspect in the Cleo Smith kidnapping case was bombarded with death threats, including that he would be speared, police sources said.
As social media festered with theories about the 36-year-old Indigenous man being held over Cleo's kidnapping, The Australian reported Mr Dawson told the elders: 'You are influencers in your community and you can talk to people who are more impressionable.'
'You can be that voice of reason,' he was reported as saying.
Asked about reports of community unrest on Thursday, WA Premier Mark McGowan said: 'I believe some extra officers are in town, not necessarily for community unrest but there's a lot of police officers from Carnarvon that have been tied up in this operation as well who are still assisting us.
'So that puts a drain on local resources. With that they've come to town to assist the local police,' Mr McGowan said.
Mr Flowers was also wrongly identified as the suspected abductor by the Seven Network.
The media company issued a statement late last night apologising for wrongly saying Mr Flowers was the suspect in the Cleo Smith case.
'Earlier on Wednesday 7NEWS wrongly showed images of a man that were incorrectly labelled as the person under arrest over the disappearance of Cleo Smith,' the statement said.
'These were removed promptly, but 7NEWS apologises for the error.'
Neighbours look out onto the house where missing girl Cleo Smith (4) was rescued by Western Australian Police
Daily Mail Australia understands Mr Flowers 'sought shelter' with officers in Karatha after he was targeted on social media.
Mr Flowers was due to be interviewed on WA's Ngaarda radio station early on Thursday morning, but pulled out.
