The disappearance of four‑year‑old Gus Lamont from Oak Park Station in South Australia has been reclassified as a major crime after an extensive search failed to locate him. Detectives say there is no evidence he wandered off or was abducted and have identified inconsistencies in family accounts. A resident of the station who has withdrawn cooperation is now considered a suspect; authorities emphasise Gus’s parents are not suspects. The family says it remains devastated and cooperative as the investigation continues.
Police Identify Suspect in Disappearance of Four‑Year‑Old Gus Lamont After Massive Outback Search
Police say they launched the largest search in the history of South Australia when four-year-old Gus Lamont was reported missing (Handout)(Handout/SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE/AFP)
Police have reclassified the baffling disappearance of four‑year‑old Gus Lamont from Oak Park Station in remote South Australia as a major crime, and say a person who lives at the property is now being treated as a suspect.
Authorities launched what they described as the largest search in South Australian history after Gus was reported missing in late September from his family’s Oak Park Station, located in the outback north of Adelaide. Hundreds of people — including police, emergency services, the army, Indigenous trackers and volunteers — took part in the coordinated search efforts, but the boy has not been found.
Detectives say their assessment has changed as the investigation progressed. There is "no evidence, physical or otherwise" to indicate Gus wandered off the station, and investigators say they have found no signs of an abduction.
"Every police officer and civilian was invested in the search and had only one focus — to find Gus and return him to his parents," Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said. "We don't believe now that Gus is alive."
Police say a review of information provided by family members revealed "a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies" in timelines and accounts surrounding the disappearance. As a result, a person who resides at Oak Park Station has withdrawn their cooperation with police and is now considered a suspect in the matter. Officers were careful to stress that Gus's parents are not under suspicion.
The day after the police announcement, lawyers for the child’s grandparents, Josie and Shannon Murray, said the family was "absolutely devastated" and reaffirmed that they have cooperated fully with investigators and want only to find Gus and reunite him with his parents.
The investigation remains active. Police have appealed for anyone with information about Gus's disappearance or the events at Oak Park Station in late September to come forward to assist detectives.
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