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Gus Lamont: Police give major update in hunt for four-year-old boy who vanished months ago
Reach Daily Express | March 5, 2026 5:40 PM CST

Detectives searching for a four-year-old boy who vanished in the treacherous Australian Outback last September have issued a painful update in the haunting case.

Golden-haired youngster Gus Lamont was last seen playing outside his family's remote sheep station, Oak Park, near Yunta, South Australia, last September. His grandmother left him alone for thirty minutes and when she returned, the little boy had disappeared without a trace.

What followed was one of the largest land and air searches in South Australian history, yet nearly six months after that "day from hell," his devastated parents, Josh and Jess Lamont, are no closer to the truth.

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Opening up about the "shattering" grief that has threatened to consume them, the couple made a desperate plea last month for anyone with information to break their silence.

Police have now confirmed that some relatives of Gus Lamont are not cooperating with the South Australian constabulary.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed that "members" of Gus's family had stopped assisting officers searching for the child, as per an interview with national broadcaster the ABC. The state's top cop had made the same comment on February 18, but SA Police later distanced themselves from the comment, stating Commissioner Stevens had misspoken.

Providing an update on the case during Wednesday's radio interview, Commissioner Stevens said the investigation remained largely unchanged. "As far as I'm aware, it is the status quo from the most recent reports," he said. "We are still working with Gus's mum and dad and there are other members of the family who are no longer co-operating."

He confirmed officers from Taskforce Horizon would soon return to the remote sheep station as the search continues. "The task force, which comprises more than a dozen detectives and forensic specialists, will clearly be looking at any opportunity to provide closure to Gus's mum and dad," he said.

"We will be going back to the property. I can't say when or what the reasons will be - that's entirely up to the task force - but the work is ongoing."

Commissioner Stevens also reiterated that investigators believe it is highly unlikely the young boy simply wandered away. "There has not been one single piece of evidence during the searching exercise - arguably the most extensive search in South Australia's history - that indicates he wandered off," he said.

Police have not publicly identified which two relatives are no longer cooperating with investigators, but have stressed that the person of interest is not either of Gus's parents, Josh or Jess Lamont.

Lawyers representing two grandparents of missing four-year-old Gus have responded after South Australia's police commissioner claimed some relatives are no longer cooperating with the investigation into the boy's disappearance.

Gus's grandparent Josie Murray is being represented by leading Adelaide criminal lawyer Andrew Ey. Asked by When asked by South Australian daily newspaper The Advertiser whether his client wished to respond to the commissioner's comments, Mr Ey said there would be "no further comment at this stage".

Meanwhile, prominent defence lawyer Casey Isaacs is acting for Gus's grandmother Shannon Murray. Mr Isaacs also told the Advertiser his client "is co-operating through her solicitor".

When the case was escalated to a major crime investigation on February 5, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke revealed that someone living at the property had withdrawn their assistance and was now being treated as a suspect.

In their statement issued last month via police, Josh and Jess pleaded with the person, persons, or anyone with information to come forward.

"We know someone out there may have information. If someone knows what happened, we are pleading with that person - or anyone who may have seen or heard anything - to please come forward," the statement reads.

"Even the smallest detail could give us the answers we so desperately need. All we want is to bring Gus home and understand what happened to our beautiful boy".

His grief-stricken parents also expressed their gratitude to those who have been involved in the search for their missing four-year-old. They praised the tireless efforts of police, emergency services, Australian Defence Force personnel, volunteers, and other specialists who have worked so hard in an effort to find little Gus.

"[It has] meant more to us than we can ever say.... your kindness has helped carry us through the darkest days of our lives."

The Lamont family's heartbreaking plea comes as investigations continue and police continue to search for the boy.

In the days and weeks after Gus vanished, South Australia Police conducted extensive searches of the area, covering about 470 square kilometres around his home at the Oak Park station homestead. For reference, that is an area the size of Edinburgh twice over.

In late October, a 12-member taskforce was appointed to continue the investigation, which then sifted through previous statements given by family members which "identified a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies" of the timeline around the boy's disappearance.


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