🚨 BREAKING: The case of missing 4-year-old Gus Lamont just took a DARK and SHOCKING turn… Police have OFFICIALLY declared it a MAJOR CRIME — and they’ve identified a SUSPECT who was LIVING on the family property! 😱

What started as a heartbreaking story of a little boy vanishing into the vast Australian outback has exploded into something far more sinister. Investigators uncovered “serious inconsistencies and discrepancies” in family statements — and ONE massive contradiction is now the smoking gun that’s ripping this family apart.

The parents are NOT suspects… but someone VERY close to Gus has STOPPED cooperating with police entirely.

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More than four months after 4-year-old August “Gus” Lamont vanished from his family’s remote sheep station in South Australia’s outback, authorities have escalated the investigation dramatically. On Thursday, South Australia Police declared the case a “major crime,” confirming they have identified a suspect believed to be known to the boy — and stressing that Gus’s parents are not under suspicion.

The announcement marks a grim pivot in what was initially treated as a search for a child who may have wandered off into the harsh terrain. Gus was last seen around 5 p.m. on September 27, 2025, playing outside the family homestead at Oak Park Station, about 43 kilometers (27 miles) south of the tiny town of Yunta and roughly 300 kilometers northeast of Adelaide. His grandmother reportedly left him unsupervised for about 30 minutes before realizing he was gone, prompting an immediate family search that lasted three hours before police were called.

What followed became one of the largest and most intensive missing-person operations in South Australian history. Task Force Horizon, formed by South Australia Police (SAPOL), mobilized extensive ground searches covering tens of square kilometers, aerial support, and even involvement from the Australian Defence Force at points. Despite combing through rugged bushland, dry creek beds, mine shafts, and other potential hazards, no trace of the boy — not a single item of clothing, footprint beyond initial reports, or other evidence — has been found.

Early theories centered on the unforgiving environment: a toddler lost in extreme heat, dehydration, or wildlife dangers in one of Australia’s most isolated regions. Police initially discounted abduction due to the property’s remoteness and lack of evidence suggesting an outsider’s involvement. But as weeks turned into months with no breakthroughs, investigators began scrutinizing inconsistencies in accounts provided by those on the property.

Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, officer-in-charge of the Major Crime Investigation Branch, addressed the media on February 5, 2026, detailing the shift. “The disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont from Oak Park Station on 27 September 2025 has been declared a major crime,” he stated. A dedicated task force re-examined prior statements from family members, uncovering “a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies” in the timeline and details surrounding the boy’s last known moments.

Those discrepancies proved pivotal. As a direct result, one individual who resided at the Oak Park Station property — someone police say is “known to Gus” — withdrew cooperation with investigators and is now formally considered a suspect. Fielke was careful to emphasize: “The person who has withdrawn their co-operation is now considered a suspect in the disappearance of Gus. I do want to stress, however, that Gus’s parents are not suspects in his disappearance.”

Police have not named the suspect publicly, citing the active criminal nature of the probe. No arrests have been made, and no charges filed as of the latest update. However, the declaration of a major crime indicates authorities now treat the disappearance as involving suspected foul play, possibly including the boy’s death, rather than a simple misadventure.

Two grandparents present at the homestead when Gus vanished — Josie Murray and Shannon Murray — have reportedly retained high-profile legal representation amid the developments. Sources close to the family indicate one grandmother, Shannon, who was reportedly minding Gus at the time, has engaged defense lawyer Casey Isaacs. Josie Murray is said to be represented by criminal attorney Andrew Ey. There is no suggestion either was directly implicated by police statements, but the moves underscore the mounting pressure on family members as scrutiny intensifies.

The remote location of Oak Park Station — a working sheep property in the arid Mid North region — has complicated every aspect of the case. With limited access roads, vast open land, and extreme weather conditions, even massive search efforts faced near-impossible odds. Police have repeatedly stated there is “no evidence” Gus was abducted by an unknown person from outside the property. The opportunity for a stranger to enter, take the child, and leave undetected is described as “extremely low” given the isolation.

Instead, the focus has narrowed to individuals known to Gus and present at the homestead. Investigators have interviewed multiple people associated with the property and discounted several lines of inquiry. The withdrawal of cooperation by one resident — combined with the identified inconsistencies — prompted the reclassification and suspect designation.

Public reaction has been intense, with the case drawing nationwide attention and fueling online speculation. Social media has seen everything from calls for justice to unverified theories, including exploitation by self-proclaimed psychics claiming visions or insights. False AI-generated images purporting to show Gus have also surfaced, further muddying public perception and complicating official efforts.

Family members have previously appealed for information, releasing photos of Gus in his Minions shirt and describing a happy, playful toddler who loved the outdoors. But with the investigation now criminal, those appeals have taken on new weight amid fears the truth may involve tragedy within the household.

Detective Superintendent Fielke acknowledged the delicacy of the situation for the family while affirming the police commitment. “Task Force Horizon members… are very cognisant of how delicate that is, and what that means for the family,” he said. He added that the operation remains active, with no aspect ruled out, though the primary focus is now on persons known to Gus potentially involved in his disappearance and suspected death.

As the investigation continues, questions linger: What specific contradiction or timeline discrepancy triggered the breakthrough? Why did one person stop cooperating after months of involvement? And most heartbreakingly — where is Gus Lamont?

South Australia Police continue to urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or via their website. The case, already one of the state’s most protracted missing-child searches, has entered a darker phase — one that could finally provide answers, or deepen the anguish for a family and community desperate for resolution.