Daniel Keene, Sara Garcia, ABC
Police this week began searching again for Gus, who disappeared on September 27th.
photograph: Provided by: SAPOL
South Australian Police have labeled Gus Lamont’s disappearance a serious crime and announced that a person who lived at the outback property where Gus went missing is considered a suspect. Police stressed that the boy’s parents are not being investigated.
In an update on the case, Major Crimes Officer Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said police executed a warrant at the premises in January, carried out a forensic search and seized items.
“People who live in Oak Park Station have withdrawn their support for the police and are no longer working with us,” he said.
“The person who withdrew his cooperation is considered a suspect in Gus’s disappearance.
“However, we would like to emphasize that Gus’ parents are not suspects in his disappearance.”
He said police began focusing on the suspect after identifying “a number of discrepancies and inconsistencies” in information “related to the timeline and the version of events provided by family members.”
He said the items seized included vehicles, motorcycles and some electronic equipment.
“All of these items are currently subject to forensic examination,” he said.
When asked if the suspect was still living at the facility, Superintendent Fielke said he could not provide further details but said he had secured legal representation.
Gus was reported missing from his family’s remote location on Saturday, September 27th.
There had been at least eight searches for Gus since he went missing.
photograph: SAPOL / Supplied
Superintendent Fielke was asked if it was possible that Gus was on the property when police arrived to begin the search, and he answered, “Probably.”
“Police arrived on the scene immediately… when they were informed that Gus was missing. There was some time in between, but it’s certainly a possibility,” he said.
Police said they were considering three “investigative options” into Gus’s disappearance. It is suspected that Gus left the Oak Park station, was kidnapped, or that an acquaintance of Gus was involved in the disappearance and was killed.
“At this time, despite all investigative efforts, no physical or other evidence has been found to suggest that Gus simply walked away from the Oak Park farm,” Superintendent Fielke said.
“The level of search that has taken place to date tells us we have a high degree of confidence that he is not wandering.”
He said police “did not find any evidence to suggest that Gus was abducted from the premises.”
“If Gus was kidnapped, it was purely coincidental,” he said.
“There’s no pattern that Gus was playing outside at the Oak Park station, and we believe it’s highly unlikely that someone would start doing a dossier about his activities that day, the time of day, etc. So it’s extremely unlikely that someone would kidnap Gus.”
Superintendent Fielke said at least eight separate searches were carried out at the station, involving more than 160 police officers and 230 non-SAPOL personnel, including National Emergency Service volunteers, Australian Defense Force (ADF) personnel and Aboriginal trackers.
Superintendent Fielke said: “The search for four-year-old Gus was the largest and most intensive missing person search SAPOL has ever undertaken.”
“The search for footprints was unprecedented and the resources used were significant.”
His disappearance more than 18 weeks ago has so far baffled authorities, shocked the public and generated international headlines.
In the months since Gus went missing, multiple search efforts have focused on different areas of interest.
-ABC