The parents of a four-year-old boy who vanished without a trace nearly six months ago say their lives have been ‘shattered’ – they have issued a desperate renewed appeal to the public
The parents of a four-year-old boy who vanished in September have issued a heartbreaking update in the search for their son.
Golden-haired Gus Lamont was last seen playing outside his home on his family’s a sheep station, Oak Park Station, near Yunta, in the Australian Outback on on September 27.
His grandmother left him alone for about half an hour before she realised he was nowhere to be found. Gus’ dissapearance has since become one of the largest land and air searches in the history of South Australia.
It’s been nearly six months on from that day from hell, and Gus’ parents Josh and Jess Lamont are no closer in knowing what happened to their little boy. In a heartwrenching update, the Lamont family have told of the “shattering” grief that threatened to swallow them whole in recent months. They have begged anyone with information to come forward as they try to understand what happened to their precious little one.
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“We are united in our grief and we are united in our search for answers about what happened to our little boy, Gus, who means everything to us. Our lives have been shattered, and every moment without him is unbearable,” Josh and Jess said, in a statement issued by South Australia Police.
Police confirmed in early Feburary that a person who lives on the sheep station has been identified as a suspect. They also confirmed Gus’ parents were not under any sort of investigation.
In their statement via police, Josh and Jess have pleaded with the person – 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”.
Gus’ 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.
Police have ruled out the possibility that he was abducted or had wandered off somewhere. Which leaves one other theory: that “someone known to him was involved in his disappearance and suspected death”, police have said, which was now the focus of their investigation.
Detectives say the search is the largest for a missing persons case in South Australian history. A full-scale ground and air search of the property and the surrounding area was launched after Gus went missing. The search area has totalled 706 square kilometres, with the assistance of 80 Australian Defence Force soldiers, drones, mounted officers and aircraft. About 163 SA Police officers have been deployed for the search.
A three-day search of six mine shafts near Oak Park Station also failed to uncover any evidence. Police have received more than 150 Crime Stoppers tips about the missing boy but no arrests or charges have been made in relation to Gus’ disappearance.
