Gus Lamont’s grandparents have broken their silence after police revealed one of his family members is now a suspect in his disappearance and suspected death.
Gus’s grandparents, Josie and Shannon Murray, said the family had ‘cooperated fully with the investigation and want nothing more than to find Gus and reunite him with his mum and dad’.
‘We are absolutely devastated by the media release of SAPOL Major Crime,’ they said in a joint statement from their separate lawyers.
The lawyers representing the pair said they would not participate in any interviews or comment further.
South Australia Police said yesterday that a family member ‘who resides at Oak Park Station’ – not one of Gus’ parents – had withdrawn co-operation in the investigation, and that person is now a suspect. Police also confirmed they believe Gus is dead.
After the announcement, Gus’ grandparents hired separate lawyers.
Josie hired Adelaide criminal lawyer Andrew Ey, while Shannon sought the legal services of Casey Isaacs, also from Adelaide.
Police have not made any arrests or laid any charges. It is common for witnesses to seek legal advice and it is not suggested either was involved in any wrongdoing.
Gus Lamont, 4, was last seen at his grandparents’ homestead at Oak Park Station, a 60,000ha property 40km south of Yunta, on September 27
Gus’ grandmother Josie Murray
Gus’s grandmother Shannon Murray
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, the officer in charge of the state’s Major Crime Division, said investigators had uncovered inconsistencies in accounts surrounding the day Gus disappeared.
‘We have identified a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies with that information as it relates to timelines and the version of events provided to us by the family members.
‘As a result of these inconsistencies, and investigations into them, a person who resides at Oak Park Station has withdrawn their support for police and is no longer cooperating with us.’
Gus was last seen at his grandparents’ homestead at Oak Park Station, a 60,000ha property 40km south of Yunta, on September 27.
Prior to today, police said he was in the care of his grandmother, Shannon, while his mother Jessica and Josie were tending sheep about 10km away.
Police said Shannon was the last person to see Gus, at about 5pm, when he was playing in the sand outside the homestead.
When she went to call him inside about 30 minutes later, he had vanished without a trace.
The family reported Gus’ disappearance to police three hours later.
Gus went missing form his family’s sprawling sheep property in the middle of nowhere in outback South Australia, nearly 200 miles north of Adelaide
At the time Gus went missing, his father, Joshua Lamont, was living about two hours away from Oak Park and was not present when his son disappeared.
A friend told Daily Mail that Joshua and Jess remain a couple but have a ‘commuter relationship’.
Although hundreds of police officers, dozens of soldiers, a small army of volunteers and an Aboriginal tracker have scoured tens of thousands of acres of Outback, the blond, curly haired little boy has not been found.
The only trace of Gus was a single footprint found about 500 metres from the homestead – which police have since cast doubt on.
