The grandmothers of missing four-year-old Gus Lamont have expressed devastation after South Australia Police declared his disappearance a major crime. In a joint statement released through their lawyers, the women said they are cooperating fully and want nothing more than to find Gus and reunite him with his parents.
Gus vanished from his family's Oak Park Station, a 60,000-hectare sheep station about 300km inland from Adelaide, on 27 September last year. He was last seen playing outside the homestead at 5pm, and when his grandmother went to call him in 30 minutes later, he was gone.
An extensive search involving helicopters, drones, divers, and an Aboriginal tracker initially focused on the possibility that Gus had wandered off. After a week, the operation shifted from rescue to recovery as hopes of finding him alive faded. Police have now concluded that Gus did not wander off and was not abducted, but rather that a person living at the station is a suspect.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said inconsistencies in information from family members led police to declare the case a major crime. The suspect, who has withdrawn cooperation, is believed to be someone residing at the property. Police seized a vehicle, motorbike, and electronic devices in mid-January.
The grandmothers, Josie Murray and Shannon Murray, released their statement through lawyers on Friday, saying they are 'absolutely devastated' by the police announcement. They have declined further comment, citing their ongoing cooperation with the investigation.
