Police have revisited the remote outback home where four-year-old August “Gus” Lamont disappeared, just days after officially calling off the massive search.
Gus vanished last Saturday evening while playing outside his grandparents’ isolated homestead, located about 24 miles south of Yunta, northeast of Adelaide.
The little boy was last seen by his grandmother near a dirt mound before he went missing. The only clue searchers found was a single child-sized footprint about 500 meters from the property.
After finding no other trace — no clothing, hat, or personal items — authorities halted the search, shifting the case to a formal missing persons investigation.
Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott assured the family that efforts to find answers will continue.
“We will continue to pursue ongoing lines of inquiry, and we will not rest until we can try and find the answer to why Gus has gone missing, and hopefully, for the family, return him to them,” he said.
Officers have since returned to the property to investigate what is now being treated as the presumed death of the child. They spent over two hours interviewing family members and taking photos around the site, according to 9News.
Police confirmed there is no evidence suggesting foul play, noting that the boy’s disappearance appears non-suspicious.
The large-scale operation — one of the biggest in South Australia’s history — has now transitioned from a rescue mission to a long-term inquiry under the Missing Persons Investigation Section.
Commissioner Parrott admitted it was “unlikely Gus will be found alive,” citing freezing nights and the harsh terrain.
“While we’ve all been hoping for a miracle, that miracle was not eventuated,” he said.
“We’re confident we’ve done absolutely everything we can to locate Gus within the search area, but despite our best efforts, we have not been able to find him.”
At its height, more than 100 people joined the daily search efforts across thousands of miles of rugged land.
Survival experts warned that a four-year-old in light clothing faced slim odds of survival in such freezing conditions. Gus was last seen wearing a grey wide-brimmed hat, a blue Minions shirt, light grey pants, and boots.
Commissioner Parrott added that despite grim predictions, teams had intensified efforts in the final days to bring the boy home.
Family and friends remain heartbroken but hopeful. Family friend Bill Harbison released a statement expressing their anguish:
“This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened. Gus’s absence is felt in all of us, and we miss him more than words can express. Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.”
Locals fear Gus may have accidentally fallen into one of the region’s many hidden mine shafts or wells — relics from the area’s old gold and livestock days.
Despite these fears, police remain firm that Gus likely wandered off and was not abducted, calling the case “very tragic” but without signs of foul play.
Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus said it was “unusual” for the child to have strayed so far but added,
“Who knows what goes through a four-year-old’s mind?”
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