Gus Lamont update: ‘Very private’ family stay almost silent after disappearance of four-year-old —raising questions about the reason behind their silence

Since four-year-old Gus Lamont went missing, his family have remained almost silent. Now, one of them is a suspect.

The young boy was last seen on September 27, 2025. He vanished, so far without a trace, from a family homestead on Oak Park Station in South Australia’s mid-north.

Initially, SA Police said Gus had likely “wandered off”. However, months on, a major crime has been declared and someone who lives at the property, who is not Gus’ parent, is now a suspect and is not cooperating with authorities.

Multiple, large-scale searches have been conducted involving hundreds from across SAPOL, the SES, the ADF, community volunteers and an Indigenous tracker.

Dams have been drained, mine shafts searched, and an “extensive” aerial search has been completed. Despite their best efforts, across 132 days, Gus has not been found.

The disappearance quickly gripped Australia and the world, dominating headlines at home and abroad, however, the family has hardly spoken.

Police talk to Josie Murray during the search for missing 4-year-old boy Gus Lamont on a property near Yunta. Credit: 7NEWS Adelaide

Gus’ family issues statement

On September 29, a statement from the family was read by Bill Harbison, a family friend.

“We’re devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Gus on Saturday afternoon,” the statement said.

“It has come as a shock to our family and friends and we’re struggling to comprehend what has happened.

“Gus’ absence is felt by all of us and we miss him more than words can express. Our hearts are aching and we are holding on to hope that he will be found and returned safely.”

Police have said the family is “very private”, people who, according to Superintendent Mark Syrus, “like the isolation” of their rural homestead life.

“They’re a very private family, and they don’t get many visitors up here,” he said on October 1.

“It’s very tough for them. They like the isolation, and over the last six days, they’ve had over 100 people in the area being part of their lives.

Aerial shot of the property. Credit: South Australia Police

“We gave them space because that’s what they needed, just a bit of time to rationalise what has happened and to come to terms with it.”

Since then, a few photos of the family have circulated showing them speaking with police. Otherwise, they have maintained their privacy.

Will Gus’ family stay silent?

On Thursday, SAPOL dropped a major bombshell update in the case, declaring Gus’ disappearance a major crime.

A contributing factor to the declaration, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said, was a family member withdrawing their cooperation from investigations.

Det-Supt. Darren Fielke also revealed that there had been “inconsistencies and discrepancies” relating to the timeline and version of events.

“A person who resides at Oak Park Station has withdrawn their support for police and is no longer cooperating with us,” he revealed.

“On 14 and 15 January, this year, Task Force Horizon investigators attended Oak Park Station and executed a search warrant. Further comprehensive forensic search was conducted of the Oak Park Station homestead. A number of items were seized, including a vehicle, a motorcycle, and some electronic devices.

“All of these items are now subject to forensic testing. The person who has withdrawn their co-operation is now considered a suspect in the disappearance of Gus.

Police were clear that Gus’ parents are not suspects, adding that the suspect is known to Gus.

Lawyers brought in

Hours after that announcement was made, both of Gus’ grandparents had engaged high-profile lawyers.

Gus’ grandparent, Josie Murray, is understood to have hired criminal lawyer, Andrew Ey, while his biological grandmother, Shannon Murray, is being represented by defence lawyer Casey Isaacs, the Adelaide Advertiser revealed on Thursday night.

Mr Isaacs told the outlet he was acting for Gus’ grandmother, and said: “We have been co-operating, but we won’t be commenting.”

There is no suggestion that either Josie or Shannon Murray were involved in Gus’ disappearance.

Details around the property where the family live are scarce.

It is understood to have been in the family for years, with some neighbours claiming that has been since the late 1800s.

Police haven’t shared detailed information of the inter-generational living arrangements, but it is understood that Gus, his brother, his mother and his two grandmothers were the only residents at the homestead at the time of the boy’s disappearance.

Gus’ father, according to early statements from SAPOL, was not at the property when Gus vanishes, and did not live at the property.