Joint investigation launched into death of girl found in suitcase and her mother.

By Michael Edwards and staff.

Police from New South Wales and South Australia will conduct a joint investigation into the deaths of a young woman and her infant daughter, whose bodies were found five years apart and in two separate states.

The remains of a child found alongside a South Australian highway earlier this year have been identified as Khandalyce Kiara Pearce, who was last seen when she was two years old.

The body of her mother, Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson, was found in Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales in 2010.

Police confirmed the identities in both cases yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Alice Springs community is in mourning for the ‘kind, loving girl’ and her daughter, who were both born locally.

Athena, 26, went to the same school as Karlie, and described her as a friendly girl.

“She was very kind and loving. She had heaps of friends,” Athena told AM.

“She’d never walk past you without saying hello. We’d always have a yarn. She was a good girl.”

Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson (right) and her two-year-old daughter Khandalyce Kiara Pearce (left) have been identified as victims of crime found five years apart. Photo: Supplied.

There are reports Karlie struggled to cope with being a young mother after giving birth to Khandalyce in 2006.

She soon left her family and began travelling around in between the Northern Territory, South Australia and, it is believed, parts of New South Wales.

Many of her friends in Alice Springs posted tributes on Facebook after news broke on Wednesday.

Athena says the news has hit the community hard.

"They just can't believe it. They're in disbelief," she said.

Two-year-old girl's father ruled out as suspect

Karlie's mother reported the pair missing in September 2009, but later withdrew the report after she said she was reassured they were safe and well but did not want family contact.

The young woman's body was found at the site where Ivan Milat, who has been in jail since 1996, murdered many of his victims. Khandalyce's father has also been ruled out as a suspect.

The then-unidentified woman was named "Angel" by NSW Police as she was found with a T-shirt bearing an 'Angelic' motif across the front.

Police suspect Khandalyce's remains were originally dumped in a suitcase off the Karoonda Highway near Wynarka in SA's Murray Mallee. It is believed by police someone then tipped out its contents, including the child's remains.

As police worked to identify Khandalyce, they released images of the suitcase, a pink dress and a quilt.

They also talked to local residents, businesses operators and employees, schools and doctors, anyone who may have had some contact with the pair.

Police revealed yesterday the breakthrough came after two calls to Crime Stoppers that led to DNA evidence identifying the young girl.

"I can tell you it's caller 1,267 and 1,271 that provided the crucial breakthrough," South Australian Major Crime Detective Superintendent Des Bray said.

Superintendent Bray said the pair died violently and described those responsible as evil.

"This is one of the most shocking crimes. Shocking and unimaginable," he said.

"Another family has been torn apart and devastated. Those people that are responsible for this crime are truly evil. They must be quickly caught and held to account for what they've done."

This post originally appeared on the ABC and was republished here with full permission.

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This post originally appeared on the ABC and was republished here with full permission.

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