South Australia police have declared the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont a major crime, identifying a suspect who lived with him on the family's remote sheep station. Gus was last seen playing outside his home at Oak Park station near Yunta on 27 September, sparking one of the largest searches in the state's history.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, head of major crime, said on Thursday that police had ruled out Gus wandering off or being abducted by a stranger. Instead, a person residing at the property has withdrawn cooperation and is now considered a suspect. Fielke stressed that Gus's parents are not suspects.
Police executed a search warrant on 14 and 15 January, seizing a vehicle, a motorbike and electronic devices. Extensive searches using mounted police, divers, drones, and aircraft with thermal imaging and AI software covered over 700 square kilometres but found no evidence of Gus wandering off.
Fielke noted inconsistencies in information from family members, leading to the suspect identification. He appealed for information, urging anyone with details to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
