A major search is underway after police revealed a five-year-old girl missing from her outback home in the Northern Territory is now believed to have been abducted.

Sharon was reported missing from her home on Marshall Court in Old Timers Camp, Alice Springs, about 1.35am on Sunday.

She was last seen by family when she was put to bed about 11.30pm on Saturday.

Acting Commander Mark Grieve told media on Monday police now suspect the young girl was abducted.

Officers are urgently seeking to speak with 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who they believe may be able to assist with inquiries.

Lewis is understood to have been staying at the home where Sharon disappeared.

“He currently remains one of the few people who were in Old Timers Camp at the time and who has not made themselves known to police, nor have police been able to locate him,” Grieve said.

Lewis was recently released from prison, while Grieve said his prior offending was not related to children.

Grieve said Lewis is not believed to be closely related to Sharon or her family.

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

“If he is involved, we certainly hope that no harm has come to Sharon.”

Grieve said support was being provided to Sharon’s mother.

“Obviously it’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing,” he said.

“We’re over 24 hours now so it’d certainly be my worst nightmare as a parent.”

A large-scale search resumed on Monday after about 50 police, emergency services personnel and a helicopter failed to locate Sharon on Sunday.

Police have released images of Sharon and Lewis as they appeal for public assistance.

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

“Please, if you’ve got any information, regardless of how small in detail you think it may be, please let us know,” Grieve said.

“You just don’t know what piece of information might complete the jigsaw puzzle.

“We want to find Sharon healthy and we want to get her back to her family.”

Anyone with information about Sharon’s whereabouts or Lewis is urged to call police, quoting reference P26120934.