“WE WERE NEVER LOOKING FOR A LOST CHILD”
That’s the sentence police allegedly said behind closed doors after the arrest. Investigators now believe 4-year-old Gus Lamont was already dead before the first search even began — turning weeks of hope into a devastating illusion.

A 4-Year-Old Boy Vanished from His Rural Home 4 Months Ago. Police Now Have a Suspect Who Is ‘Known to Him’

August “Gus” Lamont hasn’t been seen since Sept. 27, 2025

August “Gus” Lamont.Credit : South Australia Police

NEED TO KNOW

A suspect has just been identified in the case of missing 4-year-old August “Gus” Lamont
Gus disappeared from his Oak Park Station home in the rural Australian outback on September, 27, 2025
On Thursday, Feb. 5, South Australia Police issued a news release stating that somebody who resided with Gus at the property had withdrawn their cooperation from the investigation and was now considered a suspect. They stressed that Gus’ parents were not suspects

Police now suspect that somebody known to a 4-year-old boy who hasn’t been seen since September of last year could have been involved in his disappearance.

On Thursday, Feb. 5, South Australia Police (SAPOL) issued a news release, stating that the case surrounding August “Gus” Lamont — who vanished from his Oak Park Station home in the Australian outback on Sept. 27, 2025 — had “been declared a major crime.”

As previously reported by PEOPLE, Gus disappeared while playing in the sand at his family’s sheep farm, which is located in a remote area about 25 miles from the South Australia town of Yunta.

August “Gus” Lamont.South Australia Police

Major Crime Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said in a press conference on Thursday that one person who had lived at the outback property was now being considered a suspect, but he insisted Gus’ parents were not suspects.

Fielke explained that police had executed a search warrant at the property in January, and “a number of items were seized,” including “a vehicle, a motorcycle and some electronic devices.”

Authorities have been searching for August “Gus” Lamont.SA Police

The officer said that family members had been “cooperating” with police, and “providing information,” to help assist authorities with “establishing the movements of Gus, around the time that he went missing.”

He said that authorities had identified “a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies,” amid the ongoing investigation.

“A person who resides at Oak Park Station has withdrawn their support for the police and is no longer cooperating with us,” Fielke said during the conference.

He noted, “The person who has withdrawn their co-operation is now considered a suspect in the disappearance of Gus,” adding, “I do want to stress, however, that Gus’ parents are not suspects in his disappearance.”

Per the police news release, the “search area” for Gus included three dams and six mine shafts.

“In addition to the ground searching, extensive aerial searching has been conducted of vast areas surrounding Oak Park Station,” the release stated.

“The search for Gus Lamont involved 163 SAPOL members, 230 non-SAPOL resources including SES, the Australian Defence Force, an Indigenous tracker and community volunteers,” it added.

Authorities have been searching for August “Gus” Lamont.SA Police

Our new ap

“Despite these extraordinary efforts, all of the combined searches have found no evidence, physical or otherwise, to suggest Gus has wandered off,” Fielke added, per the news release. Task Force Horizon officers had also searched several locations around Oak Park Station on Feb. 2.

During the extensive operation, “two other investigations were being conducted concurrently by Task Force Horizon officers,” the release noted.

“One of those investigations focused on Gus Lamont being abducted from Oak Park Station by an unknown person. The other was that someone known to him was involved in his disappearance and suspected death,” it added. “Task Force Horizon investigators have found no evidence to suggest Gus was abducted.”

South Australia Police Major Crime Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke.SA Police News/Youtube

 

Fielke said, “I anticipate there will be further searches at Oak Park Station and at several sites on an adjacent national park to locate Gus as new information and intelligence comes to hand as the investigation continues,” per the news release.

“The disappearance of any child is tragic and distressing, not just for Gus’ parents, but also the entire community sharing their grief,” he continued.

The officer insisted, “I can reassure the community that despite the complex and challenging nature of the investigation, Task Force Horizon will continue to thoroughly and meticulously investigate the disappearance of Gus until we get a resolution.”

“We are all [focused] and determined to locate Gus and return him to his parents,” he shared.